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NOVELS, STORIES, SKETCHES AND 
ESSAYS 

BY 

Q 

[ARTHUR T. QUILLER-COUCH] 


Each i vol., i2mo , $1.25 


The Splendid Spur 
The Blue Pavilions 
Wandering Heath 
The Delectable Duchy 
Dead Man’s Rock 
Noughts and Crosses . 
Troy Town . 

I Saw Three Ships 
Adventures in Criticism 


. . i2mo, $1.25 

. . i2mo, 1.25 

. . i2mo, 1.25 

. . i2mo, 1.25 

. . i2mo, 1.25 

. . i2mo, 1.25 

. . 12010, 1.25 

. . i2mo, 1.25 

. . i2mo, 1.25 


The nine volumes in a new Uniform 
Binding. The Set, $11.00 

la. A Dove Story [Ivory Series ] .75 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS 


Q 


©JiV- (Ww, cutter A 



CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS 
NEW YORK 1898 

1st COPY, 

1898 WC REIVED 

I un 


Copyright, 1891, by 

CASSELL PUBLISHING COMPANY 

Copyright, 1898, by 

CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS 


TROW DIRECTORY 

PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANY 
NEW YORK 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER PAQH 

I. Captain John and Captain Jemmy, . . 1 

II. The Dice-Box, 18 

III. The Two Pavilions, 42 

IV. The Two Pavilions — continued, ... 65 

V. A Swarm op Bees, 89 

VI. The Earl of Marlborough Seeks Recruits, 118 
VII. The Captains make a False Start, 139 

VIII. Father and Son, 156 

IX. The Four Men at the “ White Lamb,” . 188 

X. The Tribulations op Tristram, . . .221 

XI. The Galley “ L’Heureuse,” . . . 250 

XII. William op Orange, 277 

XIII. Captain Salt Effects a Surprise and Plans 

Two More, 301 

XIY. The Galleys and the Frigate, . . . 313 

XV. Back at the Blue Pavilions, ... 321 









THE BLUE PAVILIONS 


CHAPTER I. 

CAPTAIN JOHN AND CAPTAIN JEMMY. 

At noonday, on the 11th of October, 1673, 
the little seaport of Harwich, beside the 
mouth of the River Stour, presented a very 
lively appearance. More than a hundred tall 
ships, newly returned from the Dutch War, 
rode at anchor in the haven, their bright masts 
swaying in the sunshine above the thatched 
and red-tiled roofs of the town. Tarry sailors, 
in red and gray kersey suits, red caps, and 
flat- heeled shoes, jostled in the narrow streets 
and hung about the St. Nicholas’ Churchyard, 
in front of the Admiralty House, wherein the 
pursers sat before bags and small piles of 
money, paying off the crews. Soldiers crowd- 
ed the tavern doors — men in soiled uniforms 
of the Admiral’s regiment, the Buffs, and the 
1st Foot Guards, some with bandaged heads 


2 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


and arms, and the most still yellow after their 
sea-sickness, but all intrepidly toasting the 
chances of peace and the girls in opposite win- 
dows. Above their laughter, and along every 
street or passage opening on the harbor — from 
Cock and Pye Quay, from Lambard’s stairs, 
the Castleport, and half a dozen other landing 
stages, came wafted the shouts of captains, 
pilots, boatswains, caulkers, longshoremen ; 
the noise of artillery and stores unlading ; the 
tack-tack of mallets in the dockyard, where 
Sir Anthony Deane’s new ship the Harwich 
was rising on the billy- ways, and whence the 
blown odors of pitch and hemp and timber, 
mingling with the landward breeze, drifted all 
day long into the townsfolk’s nostrils, and 
filled their very kitchens with the savor of the 
sea. 

In the thick of these scents and sounds, 
and within a cool doorway, before which the 
shadow of a barber’s pole rested on the cobbles, 
reclined Captain John Barker — a little wry- 
necked gentleman, with a prodigious hump be- 
tween his shoulders, and legs that dangled two 
inches off the floor. His wig was being curled 
by an apprentice at the back of the shop, and 


CAPTAIN JOHN AND CAPTAIN JEMMY. 


3 


his natural scalp shone as bare as a billiard-ball; 
but two patches of brindled gray hair stuck 
out from his brow above a pair of fierce green- 
ish eyes set about with a complexity of wrinkles. 
Just now, a coating of lather covered his shrew- 
ish under- jaw. 

The dress of this unlovely old gentleman well 
became his rank as captain of his Majesty’s 
frigate, the Wasp , but went very ill with his 
figure — being, indeed, a square-cut coat of 
scarlet, laced with gold, a long-flapped blue 
waistcoat, black breeches and stockings. Enor- 
mous buckles adorned the thick-soled shoes 
which he drummed impatiently against the legs 
of his chair. 

The barber — a round, bustling fellow — 
stropped his razor and gushed gossip. On a 
settle to the right a couple of townsmen smoked, 
listened, and waited their turn with an edu- 
cated patience. 

“ Changes, indeed, since you left us, Captain 
John,” the barber began, his razor hovering 
for the first scrape. 

“ Wait a moment. You were about to take 
hold of me by the nose. If you do it, I’ll run 
you through. I thought you’d like to be 


4 


THE BLUE PA VILI0N8. 


warned, that’s all. Go on with your chat- 
ter.” 

“ Certainly, Captain John — ’ tis merely a 
habit ” 

“ Break yourself of it.” 

“I will, sir. But, as I was saying, the 
changes will astonish you that have been at 
sea so long. In the first place, a riding post 
started from hence to London and from Lon- 
don hither, a-gallop with brazen trumpet and 
loaded pistols, to keep his Majesty certified 
every day of the Fleet’s doings and the Fleet 
of his Majesty’ swishes, and all Harwich a-trem- 
ble half the night under its bedclothes, but 
consoled to find the King taking so much no- 
tice of it. And the old jail moved from St. 
Austin’s Gate, and a new one building this 
side of Church Street, where Calamy’s store 
used to stand — with a new town hall, too ” 

Here as he paused to scrape the captain’s 
cheek, one of the two townsmen on the settle — a 
square man in gray, with a red waistcoat — with- 
drew the long pipe from his mouth and groaned 
heavily. 

“ What’s that?” asked the hunchback 
snappishly. 


CAPTAIN JOHN AND CAPTAIN JEMMY. 


5 


“That, sir, is Mr. Pomphlett,” the barber 
explained. “He disapproves of the amount 
spent in decorating the new hall with pillars, 
rails, balusters, and what not ; for the King’s 
arms, to be carved over the mayor’s seat and 
richly gilt, are to be a private gift of Mr. Isaac 
Betts, and the leathern fire-buckets to be hung 
round the wall ” 

Mr. Pomphlett emitted another groan, which 
the barber good-naturedly tried to drown in 
talk. Captain Barker heard it, however. 

“ There it is again ! ” 

“Yes, sir. You see Mr. Pomphlett allows 
his public spirit to run high. He says ” 

The little captain jerked round in his chair, 
escaping a gash by a hair’s breadth, and ad- 
dressed the heavy citizen : 

“Mr. Pomphlett, sir, it was not for the sake 
of listening to your observations upon public 
affairs that I came straight off my ship to this 
shop, but to hear the news.” 

The barber coughed. Mr. Pomphlett feebly 
traced a curve in the air with his pipe-stem, 
and answered sulkily : 

“ I s-said nun-nothing. I f-felt unwell.” 

“He suffers,” interposed Mr. Pomphlett’ s 


6 


THE BL UE PA VILI0N8. 


neighbor on the settle, a long-necked man in 
brown, “from the wind; don’t you, Pomph- 
lett ?” 

Mr. Pomphlett nodded with an aggrieved 
air, and stonily sucked his pipe. 

“ Death,” continued the man in brown, by 
way of setting the conversation on its iegs 
again, “has been busy in Harwich, Captain 
Barker.” 

“Ah! now we come to business? Barber, 
who’s dead?” 

“ Alderman Cro ten, sir.” 

“ Tut-tut. Croten gone ? ” 

“Yes, sir; palsy took him at a ripe age. 
And Abel’s gone, the town-crier ; and old Mis- 
tress Pinch’s bad leg carried her from us last 
Christmas Bay, of all days in the year ; and 
young Mr. Eastwell was snatched away by a 
chain-shot in the affair with the Smyrna fleet ; 
and Mistress Salt — that was daughter of old 
Sir Jabez Tellworthy, and broke her father’s 
heart — she’s a widow in straitened circum- 
stances, and living up at the old house again.” 

“ What?” 

Captain Barker bounced off his chair like a 
dried pea from a shovel. 


CAPTAIN JOHN AND CAPTAIN JEMMY. 7 

“ There now ! your honor’s chin is wounded.” 

“ P’sh ! give me your towel.” He snatched 
it from the barber’s arm, and mopped away 
the blood and lather from his jaw. “Mistress 
Salt a widow ? When? How?” 

“I thought, maybe, your honor would know 
about it.” 

“Don’t think. Roderick Salt dead? Tell 
me this instant, or ” 

“He was drowned, sir, in a ditch, they tell 
me, but two months after he sailed with his 
company of Foot Guards, in the spring of this 
year. It seems ’twas the ditch that the Mar- 
shall Turenne had the misfortune to forget 
about ” 

“ My hat — where is it ? Quick ! ” 

Already Captain Barker had plucked the 
napkin from his throat, caught up his sword 
from a chair, and was buckling on the belt 
in a tremendous hurry. 

“But your honor forgets the wig, which is 
but half -curled ; and your honor’s face shaved 
on the one side only.” 

The hunchback’s answer was to catch his 
wig from between the apprentice’s tongs, 
clap it on his head, ram his hat on the 


8 


THE BL UE PA VILI0N8. 


top of it, and flounce out at the shop- 
door. 

The streets were full of folk, but he passed 
through them at an amazing speed. His 
natural gait on shipboard was a kind of 
anapaestic dance — two short steps and a long 
— and though the crowd interrupted its ca- 
dence and coerced him to a quick bobbing 
motion, as of a bottle afloat in a choppy sea, 
it hardly affected his pace. Here and there he 
snapped out a greeting to some ship’s captain 
or townsman of his acquaintance, or growled 
testily at a row of soldiers bearing down upon 
him three abreast. His angry green eyes seemed 
to clear a path before him, in spite of the grins 
which his hump and shambling legs excited 
among strangers. In this way lie darted along 
High Street, turned up by the markets, crossed 
Church Street into West Street, and passed 
under the great gate by which the London road 
left the town. 

Beyond this gate the road ran through a tall 
ravelin and out upon a breezy peninsula between 
the river and the open sea. And here Captain 
Barker halted, and, tugging off hat and wig, 
wiped his crown with a silk handkerchief. 


CAPTAIN JOHN AND CAPTAIN JEMMY. 


9 


Over the reedy marsh upon his right, where 
a windmill waved its lazy arms, a score of larks 
were singing. To his left the gulls mewed 
across the cliffs and the remoter sandbanks 
that thrust up their yellow ridges under the 
ebb-tide. The hum of the little town sounded 
drowsily behind him. 

He gazed across the sandbanks, upon the blue 
leagues of sea, and rubbed his fingers softly 
up and down the unshaven side of his face. 

“H’m,” he said, and then “p’sh!” and 
then “ p’sh ! ” again ; and, as if this settled it, 
readjusted his wig and hat, and set off down 
the road faster than ever. 

A cluster of stunted poplars appeared in the 
distance, and a long thatched house ; then, 
between the trees, the eye caught sight of two 
other buildings, exactly alike, but of a curious 
shape and color. Imagine two round towers, 
each about forty feet in height, daubed with a 
bright blue wash and surmounted with a high- 
pitched, conical roof, of a somewhat darker 
tint. Above each roof a gilt vane glittered, 
and a flock of white pigeons circled overhead, 
or alighting, dotted the tiles with patches of 
silver. 


10 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


A bend of the road broke up this cluster of 
trees and buildings. The long thatched house 
fell upon the left of the highway, and in front 
of it a sign-post sprang into view, with a drink- 
ing-trough below. Directly opposite, the two 
blue roofs ranged themselves side by side, with 
long strips of garden and a thick privet hedge 
between them and the road. And behind them, 
in the direction of the marsh, the poplars 
stretched in an irregular line. 

Now the nearer of these blue pavilions was 
the home of Captain Barker, who for more 
than two years had not crossed its threshold. 
Yet he neither paused by its small blue gate 
nor glanced up the graveled path. Nor, 
though thirsty, did he turn aside to the porch 
of the Fish and Anchor Inn ; but kept along 
the privet hedge until he came to the second 
blue gate. Here he drew up, and stood for a 
moment with his hand on the latch. 

A trim lawn stretched before him to the door 
of the pavilion, and here in a rustic seat, before 
an equally rustic table, sat a long lean gentle- 
man, in a suit of Lincoln green faced with 
scarlet, and gazed into a pewter tankard. His 
sword lay on the turf beside him, and a cocked 


CAPTAIN JOHN AND CAPTAIN JEMMY. 11 


hat, edged with feathers, hung on the arm of 
the bench. 

This long gentleman looked up as the gate 
clicked, stretched his long legs, rose, and dis- 
appeared within the pavilion, returning after 
a minute with a jug of beer and a fresh tankard. 

“ Paid off your crew already % ” 

The little hunchback took a pull, answered 
“No” as he set down the tankard, and looked 
up at the weathercock overhead. 

“ Wind’s in the southeast.” 

The long man looked at the little one and 
pursed up his mouth. His face proclaimed him 
of a like age with Captain Barker. It did not 
at all match his figure, being short as a bull- 
dog’ s ; and like a bulldog he was heavily jowled. 
Many weathers had tanned his complexion to 
a rich corn color. His name was Jeremy Run- 
acles, and for two years, that had ended on this 
very morning, he had commanded the Trident 
frigate. As he climbed down her ladder into 
his gig he had left on the deck behind him a 
reputation for possessing a shorter temper than 
any three officers in his Majesty’s service. At 
present his steel-blue eyes seemed gentle 
enough. 


12 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“ You have something to tell,” he said, after 
a minute’s silence. 

The hunchback kicked at a plantain in the 
turf for two minutes longer, and asked : 

“How’s the little maid, Jemmy?” 

“ Grown. She’s having her morning nap.” 

“ She wants a mother.” 

“ She’ll have to do with a nurse.” 

“You don’t want to marry again ? ” 

“No.” 

“ That’s a lie.” 

Before Captain Runacles could resent this, 
the little man turned his back and took six 
paces to the party hedge and six paces back. 

“ I say, Jemmy, do you think we could 
fight?” 

“Not decently.” 

“ I was thinking that. I don’ t see a way out 
of it otherwise, though.” 

He kicked the plantain out of the ground, and 
looking up, said very softly : “Meg’s a widow.” 

Captain Jeremy Runacles sat down on the 
rustic bench. A hot flush had sprung into his 
face and a light leapt in his eyes, but he said 
nothing. Captain Barker cocked his head on 
one side, and went on : 


CAPTAIN JOHN AND CAPTAIN JEMMY. 13 

“Yes, you lied, Jemmy. That hound, as I 
guess, ran off and left her, finding that the old 
man had the courage to die without coming 
to reason. He went back to his regiment, sailed, 
and was drowned in a ditch. She’ s back at the 
old house, and in want.” 

“ You’ve seen her ? ” 

“ Look here, Jemmy. You and I are a cou- 
ple of tom-fools ; but we try to play fair.” 

“Upon my soul, Jack,” observed Captain 
Jemmy, “we can’t fight, you are too good a fel- 
low to kill.” 

“H’mph, I was thinking so.” 

As if by consent, the pair began to pace up 
and down the turf, one on each side of the 
graveled path. At the end of three minutes, 
Captain Jack looked up. 

“After all, you’re a widower and I a 
bachelor.” 

“That doesn’t count,” said the other. “I 
married in an unguarded moment. I was 
huffed with Meg, and ” 

“No, I suppose it doesn’t count.” 

They resumed their walk to and fro. Cap- 
tain Jemmy was the next to speak. 

“It seems to me Meg must decide.” 


14 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“Yes, but we must start fair.” 

“The devil! we can’t propose one in each 
ear. And if we race for it ” 

“You must give me half a mile’s start.” 

“But we can write.” 

“Yes, and deliver our letters together at the 
door.” 

“ On the other hand, I’ve always heard that 
women look upon a written proposal of mar- 
riage as rather tame.” 

“That objection would hardly apply to two 
in one day.” 

“We’ll write,” said Captain Jemmy. 

He went into the pavilion to search for pens 
and paper, while Captain Barker stepped 
down to the Fish and Anchor to borrow a bot- 
tle of ink. 

“There must be preliminaries,” the little 
man observed, returning and setting the ink 
down in the center of the rustic table, on which 
lay a bundle of old quills and some quarto 
sheets of yellow paper. 

“ As for instance? ” 

“ Imprimis , a thick folio for me to sit upon. 
The carpenter built this table after your meas- 


ure. 


CAPTAIN JOHN AND CAPTAIN JEMMY. 15 


“ I will fetch, one.” 

“ Also, more beer.” 

“ I will draw some.” 

“Thirdly, a timekeeper. My stomach’s 
empty, but it can hold out for another hour. 
We’ll give ourselves an hour, start together, 
and finish together.” 

Captain Runacles fished a silver whistle from 
his waistcoat pocket and blew on it shrilly. 
The blue and white door of the pavilion was 
opened, and a slight old man in a blue livery 
appeared on the step, and came ambling down 
the path. The weight of an enormous head, 
on the top of which his gray wig seemed to be 
balanced rather than fitted, bowed him as he 
moved. But he drew himself up to salute the 
two captains. 

“Glad to welcome ye, Captain John, along 
with master here. Hey, but you’ve aged — the 
pair o’ ye.” 

“ Simeon,” said his master, “ draw us some 
beer. Aged, you say ? ” 

“Aye — aged, aged: a trivial, remediless 
complaint, common to folk. Valiant deeds 
ye’ll do yet, my masters ; but, though I likes 
to be hearty, the door’s closin’ on ye both. 


1G 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


Ye be staid to the eye, noticeably staid. The 
first sign o’t, to be marked at forty or so, is 
when a woman’s blush pales before wine held 
to the light? the second, and that, too, ye’ve 
passed ” 

“March, you old fool! As it happens, 
you’ve been proving us a pair of raw strip- 
lings.” 

4 4 Hee-hee,” tittered the old man sardoni- 
cally, and catching up the tankard trotted 
back to the house, with his master at his heels. 
Captain Barker, left alone, rearranged his neck- 
cloth, contemplated his crooked legs for a 
moment with some disgust, and began to 
pace up and down the grassplot again, whist- 
ling the while with great energy and no re- 
gard to tune. 

The pair reappeared in the doorway, Cap- 
tain Runacles bearing an hour-glass and a 
volume of “Purchas,” and Simeon the tank- 
ard, crowned with creamy froth. 

4 4 Have you picked your quill ? ” 

44 Yes,” answered the hunchback, settling 
himself on top of the brown folio. 44 No, ’ tis a 
split one.” 

The pens were old, and had lain with the 


CAPTAIN JOHN AND CAPTAIN JEMMY. IV 

ink dry upon them ever since the outbreak of 
the Dutch war. The two men were half a 
minute in finding a couple that would write. 
Then Captain Runacles turned the hour-glass 
abruptly : and for an hour there was no sound 
in the pavilion garden but the scratching of 
quills, the murmur of pigeons on the roof, and 
the creaking of the gilt vane above them. 


CHAPTER II. 

THE DICE-BOX. 

That same afternoon, at four o’clock, Cap- 
tain Barker and Captain Runacles entered 
Harwich and advanced up the West Street side 
by side. Each had a bulky letter in his side- 
pocket, and the address upon each letter was 
the same. They talked but little. 

On the right-hand side of West Street, as 
you entered the town, and a hundred yards or 
more from the town-gate, there stood at that 
time a two-storied house of more pretensions 
than its fellows — from which it drew back 
somewhat. A line of railings, covered with 
ironwork of a florid and intricate pattern, but 
greatly decayed, shut it off from the roadway. 
The visitor, on opening the broad iron gate 
over which this pattern culminated in the fig- 
ure of a Triton blowing a conch-shell, found 
himself in a pebbled court and before a mas- 
sive front door. 

Neglect hung visibly over house and court 
18 


THE DICE-BOX. 


19 


alike, as the two captains entered by the iron 
gate and looked around them with more trepi- 
dation than they had ever displayed in action. 
Grass sprouted between the pebbles, and a 
greenish stain lay upon the flagstones. The 
drab frontage was similarly streaked ; dust 
and rain together had set a crust upon the 
windows, and tufts of grass, again, flourished 
in the gutter-pipes beneath the eaves. 

Surveying this desolation, Captain Jemmy 
uttered a grunt and Captain John a “ p’sh ! ” 
They fumbled in their pockets, drew out their 
two letters, and moved to the blistered front 
door. A bellpull, as rusty as the railings out- 
side, depended by the lintel. Captain Jemmy 
tugged at it. It was noteworthy that, when- 
ever any effort had to be put forth, however 
small, the tall man stepped forward and the 
hunchback looked on. It was Captain Jemmy, 
for instance, who had, a moment before, pushed 
back the gate. 

He had to tug thrice before a discordant bell 
sounded within the house, and twice again be- 
fore footsteps began to shuffle along the pas- 
sage. 

A bolt was let down and the big door fell 


20 


TEE BL UE PA VILI0N8. 


open, disclosing a small serving-girl, who 
stared upon the visitors with round eyes. 

“ Is your mistress within ? ” 

“ Mistress Salt is within, sirs ; but ” 

“ But what ?” 

“ She — she can’t see you.” The girl burst 
into tears. 

“Who the devil asked her to see us?” 
rapped out Captain Barker. 

“You are to take these two letters,” inter- 
posed Captain Runacles. Each captain held 
out his letter. “You are to take these two — 
blow your nose and dry your eyes — letters to 
your mistress, at once — mind you, at once 
— and together — together , you understand, 
and — what in thunder are you whimpering 
about ? ” 

“ I c-c-can’t, sirs.” 

“ Can’t ? Why, in the name of — don’t drip 
on ’em, I tell you ! Why, in the ” 

The iron gate creaked behind them, and the 
two captains turned their heads. A big, broad- 
shouldered gentleman, in a suit of snuff-color, 
came slowly across the court, with both hands 
behind him, and a clouded cane rapping against 
his heels. 


THE DICE-BOX . 


21 


“Dr. Beckerleg?” 

“Hey? Why — Captain Barker, Captain 
Runacles, glad to see you both ; glad to see you 
both home again ! Also, I’d be glad to know 
what you’re both doing here, at such a time.” 

The captains looked at each other, and 
“ hemmed.” They turned toward the door- 
way. The serving-girl had disappeared, tak- 
ing their letters with her. Captain Barker 
faced round again upon the doctor. 

“You said 4 at such a time,’ sir.” 

44 1 did.” 

4 4 And why not at this time, as well as 
another? ” 

44 God bless me ! Is it possible you don’t 
know ?” 

44 It is not only possible, but certain.” 

The doctor bent his head, pointed up at a 
window, and whispered ; then went softly up 
the three steps into the house. 

He left the two friends staring at each other. 
They stood and stared at each other for three 
minutes or more. Then Captain Barker spoke 
in a hoarse whisper. 

4 4 Jemmy, doy ou know anything about this— 
this kind of business ? ” 


22 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“ Nothing. I was abroad, you know, when 
my own little ■” 

“Yes, I remember. But, I thought, per- 
haps — I say, I can’t go home till — till I’ve 
seen the doctor again.” 

“Nor I.” 

A dull moan sounded within the house. 

“ Oh, my God ! ” groaned Captain Bunacles, 
“ Meg — Meg ! ” 

A lattice was opened softly above them and 
the doctor’s head leant out. 

“Go away — you two,” he whispered, and 
waved his hand toward the gate. 

“But, doctor ” 

“H’sh! I’ll come and tell you when it’s 
over. Where shall you be ? ” 

“At the Three Crowns, dowm the street 
here.” 

“ Bight.” 

The lattice was closed again, very gently. 
Captain Barker laid his hand upon the tall 
man’s sleeve. 

“Jemmy, we’re out of this action. I thought 
I knew what it meant to lay to and have to 
look on while a fight went forward : but I 
didn’t. Come ” 


THE DICE-BOX. 


23 


They passed out of the courtyard and down 
the street toward the Three Crowns. Beneath 
the sign of that inn there lounged a knot of 
officers, wearing the flesh-colored facings of 
the Buffs, and within a young baritone voice 
was uplifted and trolling, to the accompani- 
ment of clinked glasses, a song of Mr. Shir- 
ley’s : 

You virgins, that did late despair 
To keep your wealth from cruel men, 

Tie up in silk your careless hair : 

Soft peace is come again 

There was one sitting-room, but no bed- 
room, to be had at the Three Crowns. So 
they ordered up a dinner which they could 
not touch, but sat over in silence for two 
weary hours, drinking very much more than 
they were aware of. Captain Jemmy, taking 
up three bottles of burgundy, one after another, 
and finding them all empty, ordered up three 
more, and drew his chair up to the hearth, 
where he sat kicking the oaken logs viciously 
with his long legs. The little hunchback 
stared out on the falling night, rang for 
candles, and began to pace the room like a 
caged beast. 


24 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


Before midnight Captain Runacles was 
drunk. Six fresh bottles stood on the table. 
The man was a cask. Even in the warm fire- 
light his face was pale as a sheet, and his lips 
worked continually. 

Captain Barker still walked up and down, 
but his thin legs would not always move in a 
straight line. His eyes glared like two globes 
of green fire, and he began to knock against 
the furniture. Few men can wait helplessly 
and come out of it with credit. Every time 
Captain John hit himself against the furni- 
ture, Captain Jemmy cursed him. 

“Tie up in silk your careless hair ; 

Soft peace is come again” 

— sang the little man, in a rasping voice. 
“Your careless hair,” he hiccoughed; “your 
careless hair, Meg ! ” 

Then he sat down on the floor and laughed 
to himself softly, rocking his distorted body 
to and fro. 

“Bah!” said his friend, without looking 
round, “ you’re drunk.” And he poured out 
more burgundy. He was outrageously drunk 
himself, but it only affected his temper, not 
his wits. 


THE DICE-BOX. 


25 


“Meg,” he said, “will live. What’s more, 
she’ll live to marry me.” 

“She won’t. She’ll die. Hist! there’s a 
star falling outside.” 

He picked himself up and crawled upon the 
window-seat, clutching at the red curtains to 
keep his footing. 

“ Jemmy, she’ll die. What was it that old 
fool said to-day? The door’s closing on us 
both. To think of our marching up, just now, 
with those two letters ; and the very sun in 
heaven cracking his cheeks with laughter at 
us — us two poor scarecrows making love 
twenty years after the time!” 

His wry head dropped forward on his chest. 

After this the two kept silence. The rest of 
the house had long since gone to rest, and the 
sound of muffled snoring alone marked the time 
as it passed, except when Captain Jemmy, 
catching up another oak log, drove it into the 
fire with his heel ; or out in the street the watch 
went by, chanting the hour ; or a tipsy shout- 
ing broke out in some distant street, or the 
noise of dogs challenging each other from their 
kennels, across the sleeping town. 

A shudder of light ran across the heavens, and 


26 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


over against the window Captain Barker saw 
the west grow pale. For some while the stars 
had been blotted out and light showers had 
fallen at intervals. Heavy clouds were banked 
across the river, behind Shotley ; and the roofs 
began to glisten as they took the dawn. 

Footsteps sounded on the roadway outside. 
He pushed open the window and looked out. 
Doctor Beckerleg was coming up the street, his 
hat pushed back and his neckcloth loosened 
as he respired the morning air. 

The footsteps paused underneath, by the inn 
door ; but the little captain leant back in the 
window-seat, without making a sign. He had 
seen the doctor’s face. Before the fire Captain 
Jemmy brooded, with chin on breast, hands 
grasping the chair-rail, and long legs stretched 
out, one on each side of the hearth. The knock- 
ing below did not rouse him from this posture, 
nor the creaking of feet on the stairs. 

Dr. Beckerleg stood in the doorway and for 
a moment contemplated the scene — the empty 
bottles, the unsnuffed candles guttering down 
upon the table, and the gray faces of both 
drunken men. Then he turned and whispered 


THE DICE-BOX. 


27 


a word to the drawer, who had hurried out of 
bed to admit him and now stood behind his 
shoulder. The fellow shuffled downstairs. 

Captain Barker struggled with a question 
that stuck in his dry throat. Before he could 
get it out the doctor shook his head. 

“She is dead,” he announced, very gravely 
and simply. 

The hunchback shivered. Captain Runacles 
neither spoke nor stirred in his chair. 

“A man-child was born at two o’clock. 
He is alive, his mother died two hours later.” 

Captain Barker shivered again, plucked aim- 
lessly at a rossette in the window-cushion, and 
stole a quick glance at his comrade’s back. 
Then, putting a finger to his lip, he slid down 
to the floor and lurched across to the doc- 
tor. 

“ She was left penniless ! ” he whispered. 

“That, or almost that, ’tis said,” replied 
Dr. Beckerleg in the same key, though the 
question obviously surprised him. “Her 
father left his money to the town, as all know.” 

“Yes, yes ; I knew that. Her husband ’ ’ 

“Hadn’t a penny-piece, I believe: pawned 
her own mother’s jewels and gambled ’em 


28 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


away ; thereupon left her, as a dog his cleaned 
bone ” 

The little man laid a hand on his collar, and, 
as the doctor stooped, whispered low and rap- 
idly in his ear. 

Their colloquy was interrupted. 

“Fll adopt that man-child,” said Captain 
Bunacles from the hearth. He spoke aloud, 
but without turning his head. 

Captain Barker hopped around, as if a pin 
were stuck into him. 

“ You — adopt Meg’s boy ! ” 

“I said that.” 

' x But you won’t.” 

“ Pardon me ; I will.” 

“ I’m sorry to disappoint you, Jemmy, but I 
intend to adopt him myself.” 

“ I know it. You were whispering as much 
to the doctor there.” 

“ You have a little girl already.” 

“Precisely: That’s where the difference 
comes in. This one, you’ll note, is a boy.” 

“ A child of your own ! ” 

“But not of Meg’s.” 

Captain Kunacles turned in his chair as he 
said this, and, reaching a hand back to the 


TEE DICE-BOX. 


29 


table, drained the last bottle of burgundy into 
his glass. His face was as white as a sheet and 
his jaw set like iron. “ But not of Meg’s,” he 
repeated, lifting the glass and nodding over it 
at the pair. 

His friend swayed into a chair, and sat facing 
him, his chin but just above the table and his 
green eyes glaring like an owl’s. 

“ Jemmy Runacles, /adopt that boy.” 

“You’re cursedly obstinate, Jack.” 

“Having adopted him, I shall at once quit 
my profession and devote the residue of my 
life to his education. For a year or two — that 
is, until he reaches an age susceptible of 
tuition — I shall mature a scheme of discipline, 
which ” 

“My dear sir,” the doctor interposed, 
“ surely all this is somewhat precipi- 
tate.” 

“ Not at all. My resolution was taken the 
instant you entered the room.” 

“ That hardly seems to me to prove ” 

The little man waved aside the interruption 
and continued : 

“ Tristram — for I shall have him christened 
by that name ” 


30 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“ He’ll be called Jeremiah,” decided Captain 
Runacles, shortly. 

“I’ve settled upon Tristram. The name is a 
suitable one, and signifies that its wearer is a 
child of sorrow.” 

“Jeremiah also suggests lamentations, and 
has the further merit of being my own 
name.” 

“ Tristram ” 

“ Jeremiah ” 

“Gentlemen, gentlemen,” cried Dr. Beck- 
erleg, “would it not be as well to see the 
infant ? ” 

“I can imagine,” Captain Barker answered, 
“nothing in the infant that is likely to shake 
my resolution. My scheme of discipline will 
be based ” 

“Decidedly, Jack, I shall have to run you 
through,” said his friend, gloomily. Indeed, 
the doctor stood in instant fear of this catas- 
trophe ; for Captain Runacles’ temper was a 
by-word, and not even his customary dark 
flush looked so dangerous as the lusterless, 
sullen eyes now sunk in a face that was drawn 
and pinched and absolutely wax-like in color. 
To the doctor’s astonishment, however, it was 


THE DICE-BOX. 


31 


the little hunchback who now jumped up and 
whipped out his sword. 

“Run me through !” he almost screamed, 
dancing before the other, and threatening him 
with absurd flourishes — “ Run me through ! ” 

“ Listen, gentlemen ; listen, before blood is 
spilt ! To me it appears evident that you are 
both drunk.” 

“To me that seems an advantage, since it 
equalizes matters.” 

“ But, whichever of you survives, he will be 
unable to forgive himself, having sinned not 
only against God, but against logic.” 

“ How against logic \ ” 

“Permit me to demonstrate. Mrs. Salt, 
whom (as I gather) you esteemed, is lost to 
you ; and in her place is left a babe whom — 
healthy though he undoubtedly is — you cannot 
possibly esteem without taking a great deal 
for granted, especially as you have not yet set 
eyes on him. Now it is evident that, if one of 
you should kill the other, a second life of ap- 
proved worth will be sacrificed for an infant of 
purely hypothetical merits. As a man of 
business I condemn the transaction. As a 
Christian I deprecate the shedding of blood. 


32 


THE BL UE PA VIL10NS. 


But if somebody’s blood must be shed, let us 
be reasonable and kill the baby.” 

Captain Barker lowered his point. 

“Decidedly the question is more difficult 
than I imagined.” 

“At least it cannot be settled before eat- 
ing,” said Dr. Beckerleg, as the drawer entered 
with a tray. “You will forgive me that I 
took the liberty of ordering breakfast as soon 
as I looked into this room. Without asking 
to see your tongues, I prescribed dried her- 
rings and home-brewed ale ; for myself, a fried 
sole, a beef-steak, reasonably underdone, a 
kidney-pie which the drawer commended, on 
his own motion, with a smoked cheek of pork, 
perhaps ” 

“You wish us to sit still while you devour 
all this 1” 

“ I am willing to give each side of the argu- 
ment a fair chance.” 

“But I find nothing to argue about,” 
exclaimed Captain Runacles, pushing his 
plate from him after a very faint attempt 
to eat, “my mind being already made 
up.” 

“And mine,” interrupted Captain Barker. 


THE DICE-BOX. 


33 


“If I suggest that you both adopt the 
child,” Dr. Beckerleg began. 

“ Still he must be educated ; and our notions 
of education differ. Moreover, when we dif- 
fer — as you may have observed — we do so with 
some thoroughness.” 

“Let me propose, then, a system of alter- 
nation, by which you could adopt the boy for 
six months each, turn and turn about.” 

“ But if — as would undoubtedly happen — 
each adoptive parent spent his six months in 
undoing the other’s work, it must follow that, 
at the end of any given period, the child’s 
mind would be a mere tabula rasa. Suppose, 
on the other hand, we failed to wipe out each 
other’s teaching, the unfortunate youth would 
be launched upon life with half his guns pointed 
inboard and his needle jerking from one pole 
to the other. Consider the name, Jeremiah 
Tristram ! ” 

“ It is heterogeneous,” admitted the doctor. 

“He would be called Tristram Jeremiah,” 
Captain Barker put in. 

“Well, but that is not less heterogeneous. 
Oh, wise Solomon !” cried the doctor, with his 
mouth full of kidney-pie; “had I but the 


34 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


authority you enjoyed in a like dispute, I 
would resign to you all the credit of origi- 
nality ! ” 

“As it is, however, you are wasting our 
time, and it becomes clear that we must fight, 
after all.” 

“By no means; for I have this moment 
received an inspiration. Drawer ! ” 

The drawer answered this summons almost 
before it was uttered by appearing in the door- 
way with a dish of eggs and a fresh tankard of 
home-brewed ale. 

“Set the dish down, and attend,” com- 
manded Dr. Beckerleg. “You have a dice- 
box and dice in the house ?” 

“No, sir. His worship the Mayor ■” 

“My good fellow, the regulations against 
play in this town are well known to me ; also 
that the Crowns is an orderly house. Let me 
suggest, then, that you have several gentlemen 
of the army lodging under this roof ; that one 
of these, if politely asked, might own that he 
had come across such a thing as a dice-box 
during his sojourn in the Low Countries. It 
may even be that in the sack of some unpro- 
nounceable town or other he has acquired a 


THE DICE-BOX . 


35 


specimen, and is bringing it home in his valise 
to exhibit it to his family. Be so good as to 
inform him that three gentlemen in Room No. 
6, who are about to write a tractate on the 
amusements of the Dutch ” 

“By your leave, sir, I don’t know how it 
may be on campaign; but in this house we 
never awaken a soldier for any reason which 
he cannot grasp at once.” 

“In that case let him have his sleep out 
before you vex him with our apologies. But 
meanwhile bring the dice.” 

The fellow went out, whispered to the 
chambermaid, and returned in less than five 
minutes with a pair of dice and a leathern box, 
much worn with use. 

“ They belong,” he whispered, “to a young 
gentleman of the admiral’s regiment, who was 
losing heavily last night.” 

“Thank you. You may leave the break- 
fast on the table for a while and retire. My 
friends,” the doctor continued, as soon as they 
were alone, “Aristotle invented Chance to ac- 
count for the astonishing fact that there were 
certain things in the world which he could not 
explain. I appeal to it for as cogent a reason. 


36 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


Indeed, had Mistress Margaret — whose soul 
God has this night resumed — had she, I say, 
been spared to receive and ponder the two let- 
ters which I saw you deliver at her door ; and 
had she invited me, as a tried friend, to decide 
between them, I feel sure I should have ended 
by putting a dice-box into her hands. Do not 
blush. No true man need blush that he has 
loved such a woman ; and you are both true 
men, if a trifle obstinate — et tenaces pro- 
positi. Men of your character, Flaccus tells 
us, do not blench at the thunderbolts of Jove 
himself, and truly, I can well imagine his missile 
fizzing aimlessly into your party hedge, unable 
to decide between the pavilion of Captain John 
and the pavilion of Captain Jeremy. But 
Chance, being witless, discriminates without 
trouble ; and because she is blind, her arbitra- 
ments hurt nobody’s feelings. Do you con- 
sent ?” 

The two captains looked at the dice-box and 
nodded. 

“The conditions ?” 

“One throw,” said Captain Kunacles. 

“And the highest cast to win,” added Cap- 
tain Barker. 


THE DICE-BOX. 


37 


“ You, Captain Barker, are the senior by a 
year, I believe. Will you throw first ? ” 

The little man caught up the box, rattled 
the dice briskly, and threw — four and three. 

Captain Runacles picked them up, and made 
his cast deliberately — six and ace. 

“ Gentlemen, you must throw again. For- 
tune herself seems to hesitate between you.” 

Captain Barker threw again, and leant back 
with a sob of triumph. 

“Two sixes, upon my soul ! ” murmured the 
doctor. “I’m afraid, Captain Jeremy ” 

Captain Jeremy took the dice up, turned 
them between finger and thumb and dropped 
them slowly into the box. As he lifted his 
hand to make the cast, he looked up and saw 
the gleam in his friend’s greenish eyes. 

The next moment box and dice flew past the 
hunchback’s head and out at the open window. 

“That’s my throw,” Captain Runacles an- 
nounced, standing up and turning his back on 
the pair as he staggered across the room for his 
hat. But the little man also had bounced up 
in a fury. 

‘ ‘ That’ s a vile trick ! I make the best throw, 
and you force me to fight.” 


38 


' THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“Ah,” said the other, facing slowly about 
and putting on his hat, “ I didn’t see it in that 
light. Very well, Jack, I decline to fight you.” 

“You apologize ? ” 

“ Certainly.” 

The little man held out a hand. “ I might 
have known, Jemmy, you were too good a fel- 
low ” he began. 

“Oh, stowaway your pretty speeches, and 
take back your hand. I can’t prevent your 
playing the fool with Meg’s child ; but if I had 
a decent excuse, you may make up your mind 
I’d use it. As it is, the sight of you annoys 
me. Good-morning ! ” 

He went out, slamming the door after him, 
and they heard him descend the stairs and turn 
down the street. 

“A day’s peace,” mused Captain Barker, 
“strikes me as more expensive than a year’s 
war. It has cost me my two dearest friends.” 

He strode up and down the room, muttering 
angrily ; then looked up and said : 

“ Take me to Meg, I want to see her.” 

“And the child ? ” 

“ To be sure. I’d clean forgotten the 
child.” 


THE DICE-BOX. 


39 


Dr. Beckerleg led the way downstairs. A 
pale morning sunshine touched the edge of the 
pavement across the road, and while Captain 
Barker was settling the bill, the doctor stepped 
across and picked a dicebox out of the gutter. 

“Luckily, I found the dice too: they were 
lying close together,” said he, as his companion 
came out. He turned the box round and ap- 
peared to be reflecting ; but, next moment, 
walked briskly into the bar, and returned the 
dice to the drawer, with a small fee. 

“She is not much changed?” asked the 
captain, as they moved down the street, arm in 
arm. 

“ Eh ! You were saying ? No, not changed. 
A beautiful face.” 

Though middle-aged and lined with trouble, 
it was, as Dr. Beckerleg said, a beautiful face 
that slept behind the dusty window above the 
court where the sparrows chattered. From a 
chamber at the back of the house the two men 
were met, as they climbed the stairs, by the 
sound of an infant’s wailing. Dr. Beckerleg 
went toward this, after opening for the captain 
the door of a room wherein no sound was at 
all. 


40 


TEE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


When, half an hour later, Captain Barker 
came out and closed this door gently, Dr. 
Beckerleg, who waited on the landing, forbore 
to look a second time at his face. Instead, he 
stared fixedly at the staircase wall and ob- 
served : 

“ I think it is time we turned our attention 
upon the child.” 

“ Take me to him by all means.” 

Margaret’s son was reclining, very red and 
angry, in the arms of an old woman who 
attempted vainly to soothe him by tottering up 
and down the room as fast as her decrepit legs 
would carry her. The serving-girl, who had 
opened the door on the previous evening, stood 
beside the window, her eyes swollen with weep- 
ing. 

“He is extremely small,” said the captain. 

“ On the contrary, he is an unusually fine 
boy.” 

“ He appears to me to want something.” 

“ He wants food.” 

‘ ‘ Bless my soul ! Has none been offered to 
him? ” 

“ Yes ; but he refuses it.” 

“Extraordinary ! ” 


THE DICE-BOX. 


41 


“ Not at all. I understand — do I not? — that 
you have adopted this infant.’ ’ 

The captain nodded. 

“Then your parental duties have already 
begun. You must come with me at once and 
choose a wet nurse.” 

As they passed through the hall to the front 
door, Captain Barker perceived two letters 
lying side by side upon a table there. He 
snatched up one hastily and crammed it into 
his pocket. Then handing the other to Dr. 
Beckerleg : 

“You might give that to Jemmy when you 
see him, and— look here, as soon as the child 
is out of the house, I think — if you went to 
Jemmy— he might like to see Meg, you 
know.” 


CHAPTER III. 

THE TWO PAVILIONS. 

Captain Barkep and Captain Rnnacles had 
been friends from boyhood. They had been 
swished together at Doctor Huskisson’s school, 
hard by the Watergate ; had been packed off 
to sea in the same ship, and afterward had 
more than once smelt powder together. Ad- 
miral Blake and Sir Christopher Mings had 
turned them into tough fighters by sea ; and 
Margaret Tallworthy had completed their edu- 
cation ashore, and made them good friends, 
by rejecting both. In an access of misogyny 
they had planned and built their blue pavilions, 
beside the London road, vowing to shut them- 
selves up and look on no woman again. This 
happened but a short while before the first 
Dutch War, in which the one served under 
Captain Jonings in the Ruby , and the other 
had the honor to be cast ashore with Prince 
Rupert himself, aboard the Gallojper. Upon 
the declaration of peace, in the autumn of 1667 , 

d2 


THE TWO PAVILIONS. 


43 


they had returned, and, forgetting their vow, 
laid siege again to their mistress, who regretted 
the necessity of refusing them thrice apiece. 

Upon his third rejection, Jeremy Runacles 
was driven by indignation to offer his hand at 
once to Mistress Isabel Seaman, sister of that 
same Robert Seaman who, as Mayor of Har- 
wich, admitted Sir Anthony Deane to the free- 
dom of the Corporation, and had the honor to 
receive, in exchange, twelve fire-buckets for the 
new town-hall. As Mistress Isabel inherited a 
third of the profits amassed by her father in 
the rope-making trade, she was considered a 
good match. Captain Barker, however, re- 
sented the marriage on the ground that she 
was out of place in a pavilion expressly de- 
signed for a confirmed bachelor. When, after 
a few months, her husband also began to hold 
this view, Mrs. Runacles, instead of reminding 
him that he, and he alone, was to blame for her 
intrusion, did her best to make matters easy by 
quitting this world altogether on St. Bartholo- 
mew’s Eve, 1670, leaving behind her the small- 
est possible daughter. But as this daughter 
at once required a nurse, the alleviation proved 
to be inconsiderable— as Mr. Runacles would 


44 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


have delighted to point out to his wife had 
she remained within earshot. As it was, he 
took infinite pains to select a suitable nurse, 
and forthwith neglected the child entirely — a 
course of conduct which was not so culpable as 
might be supposed, since (with the sole excep- 
tion of Mrs. Runacles) he had never been known 
to err in choosing a subordinate. In times of 
peace he gave himself up to studying the math- 
ematics, in which he was a proficient, and to 
the designing of such curious toys as sundials, 
water-clocks, pumps, and the like ; which he 
so multiplied about the premises, out of pure 
joy in constructing them, that Simeon, his 
body-servant, had much ado to live among 
the many contrivances for making his life 
easier. 

Although, the two pavilions were exactly 
similar in shape and color, their gardens dif- 
fered in some important respects. On Captain 
Runacles’ side of the hedge all was order; trim 
turf and yews accurately clipped, though 
stunted by the sea winds. Captain Barker’s 
factotum, Narcissus Swiggs by name, was a 
slow man with but a single eye. His orbit in 
gardening was that of the four seasons, but he 


THE TWO PA VILI0N8. 


45 


had the misfortune to lag behind them by the 
space of three months ; while the two sides of 
the gravel path, though each would be harmon- 
ious in itself, could onlo be enjoyed by shutting 
one eye as you advanced from the blue gate to 
the blue front-door. The particular pride of 
Captain Barker’s garden, however, was a col- 
lection of figure-heads set up, like statues, at 
regular intervals around the hedge. The like 
of it could be found nowhere. Here, against a 
background of green, and hanging forward over 
a green lawn, were an Indian Chief, a Golden 
Hind, a Triton, a Centaur, an effigy of King 
Charles I., another of Britannia, a third of the 
god Pan, and a fourth of Mr. John Phillipson, 
sometime alderman and shipowner of Har- 
wich. Though rudely modeled, the majority 
received an extremely lifelike appearance from 
their coloring, which was renewed every now 
and then under the captain’s own supervision. 
He asserted them to be beautiful, and his ac- 
quaintances were content with the qualifi- 
cation that to an unwarned visitor, by moon- 
light, they might be disconcerting. 

To this paradise Captain Barker introduced 
his newly adopted son, with the wet-nurse that 


46 


TEE BL TIE PA VI LIONS. 


the doctor had found for him : and after ex- 
plaining matters to Narcissus — who had heard 
of the Wasp's arrival in port and had been 
vaguely troubled by a long conversation with 
Simeon, next door — installed the newcomers 
in the two rooms under the roof of the pa- 
vilion, and sat down to meditate and wait for 
the child’s development. 

On the fourth morning after the installation, 
Narcissus appeared and demanded a higher 
wage. This was granted. 

On the sixth morning, Narcissus appeared 
again. 

“ That there nurse ” he began. 

“ What of her ?” 

“ As touching that there nurse, your instruc- 
tions, sir, were to feed her up.” 

“Well?” 

“I’ve fed her up.” 

“Well?” 

“ She’s ate till she’s sick.” 

The captain sent post-haste for Dr. Beck- 
erleg. 

“ That woman’s green with bile,” the doctor 
announced. ‘ 4 Y on’ ve been over-feeding her. ’ ’ 

“ I did it to strengthen the child.” 


THE TWO PAVILIONS. 


47 


‘ 4 No doubt ; but this sort of woman will eat 
all that’s put before her. Lower her diet.” 

This was done. The woman recovered in a 
couple of days and resigned her place at once, 
declaring she was starved. 

A second wet-nurse was sought for, and 
found. The child thrived, was weaned, and 
began to cut his teeth without any trouble to 
mention. Twice a day Captain Barker visited 
his nursery and studied him attentively. 

“Til own that I’m boggled,” he confessed 
to Dr. Beckerleg. “ You see, a child is the 
offspring of his parents.” 

“ That is undeniable,” the doctor answered. 

“ And science now asserts that he inherits 
his parents’ aptitudes : therefore, to train him 
secundum naturam , I must discover these 
aptitudes and educate or check them.” 

“Decidedly.” 

“ Well, but his mother was an angel, and 
his father the dirtiest scamp that ever cheated 
the halter.” 

“I should advise you to strike a mean. 
What of the child himself ? ” 

u He does nothing but eat.” 

“ It appears to me that, striking a mean be- 


48 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


tween the two extremes you mention, we arrive 
at mere man. I perceive a great opportunity. 
Suppose you teach him exactly what Adam 
was taught.” 

“ Gardening?” 

“ Precisely. He will start with some advan- 
tage over Adam, there being no Eve to compli- 
cate matters.” 

“ He shall be taught gardening,” the little 
captain decided. 

“ The pursuit will accord well with his tem- 
perament, which is notably pacific. The child 
seldom or never cries. At the same time we 
cannot quite revert to the Garden of Eden. 
His life will almost certainly bring him more 
or less into contact with his fellow-men.” 

u We must expect that.” 

“Therefore, as a mere measure of precau- 
tion, it might be as well to instruct him in the 
use of the small-sword.” 

“I will look after that. There is nothing I 
shall enjoy more than teaching him — precau- 
tion. We have now, I think, settled every- 
thing ” 

‘ 4 By no means. ’ ’ The doctor put a hand into 
his tail-pocket, and, after some difficulty with 


THE TWO PA VILIONS. 


49 


the lining, pulled out a small book bound in 
green leather, and tied with a green ribbon. 
“ Here,” he announced, “is the first volume of 
a treatise on education ” 

“Plague take your books! You’re as bad 
as Jemmy, yonder. I tell you I’ll not addle 
the boy’s head with books.” 

“ But this treatise has the advantage to be 
unwritten.” 

Dr. Beckerleg untied the ribbon, and hold- 
ing out the book, turned over a score of pages. 
They were all blank. 

“ Undoubtedly that is an advantage. But, 
then, it hardly seems to me to be a treatise.” 

“No, but it will be, when you have written 
it.” 

“I?” 

“ Certainly. You intend to train Tristram 
in accordance with nature. On what do we 
base our knowledge of nature ? On experiment 
and observation. For many reasons your ex- 
periments with the child must be limited : but 
you can observe him daily — hourly, if you 
like. In this volume you shall record your 
observations from day to day, nulla dies sine 
linea . It is the first present I make to him, as 


50 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


his godfather : and in doing so I set you down 
to write the most valuable book in the world, 
a complete History of a Human Creature.” 

Captain Barker took the volume. 

“But I shall never live to finish it.” 

“We hope not. The beauty, however, of 
this history will be that at any point in its 
progress we may consult it for Tristram’s good, 
and learn all that, up to that point, God has 
given us eyes to see. It may be that in de- 
ciding to make him a gardener we have been 
mistaken. That book will enlighten us.” 

“ There’s one blessing,” said Captain Barker, 
tucking the book under his arm ; “ whatever 
pursuit the boy may follow, he’ll want to fol- 
low it unmolested. And therefore, in any case, 
I must teach him to use the small-sword.” 

During the first few months, almost every 
entry made by Captain Barker in the green 
volume dealt with Tristram 1 s appetite. Nor 
did this fluctuate enough to make the record 
exciting. He was a slow, phlegmatic infant, 
with red cheeks and an exuberant crop of yel- 
low curls. He slept all night and a good third 
of the day, and, beyond cutting ten teeth in as 


THE TWO PAVILIONS. 


51 


many months, exhibited no precocity. Nothing 
troubled him, if we except an insatiable hunger. 
He was weaned with extreme difficulty, and, 
even when promoted to bread and biscuits 
and milk-puddings, continued to recognize his 
nurse’s past service and reward it with so sin- 
cere an affection that the woman accepted an 
increase of wages and cheerfully consented to 
stay on and take care of him. 

Captain Barker saw nothing in all this to 
shake his first resolution of making the boy a 
gardener, but rather found in each successive 
day a reason the more for making haste to learn 
something about horticulture himself, in order 
that when the time came he might be able to 
teach it. At length he took council with Nar- 
cissus Swiggs, and unfolded his desire. 

Mr. Swiggs listened sleepily, and as soon as 
his master had done gave him a month’s notice. 

“ What the devil’s the use of that % ” Captain 
Barker asked. 

“ I thought you weren’t satisfied, that’s all.” 

“ If I weren’t I should kick you out without 
half these words. You’ve been thinking of 
yourself all this while.” 

“ I mostly does.” 


52 


THE BL UE PA VI LION 8. 


“ Then don’t while I’m talking.” And Cap- 
tain Barker explained his scheme a second time. 

“ No use,” pronounced Mr. Swiggs at the 
close, shaking his head ponderously. 

“ Why not ? ” 

Mr. Swiggs swept his hand before him, sum- 
ming up the whole landscape with one majestic 
semicircle. 

“ Where is your soil ? ” he asked. “ And 
where is your water? Springs?” — He paused 
a couple of seconds — “ There ain’t none. All 
that mortal man can do, I does.” 

“And what is that ? ” 

“ I does without.” 

“But the marsh behind us ? ” 

“Salt as Lot’s wife.” 

“Narcissus Swiggs, you have been in my ser- 
vice twenty years.” 

“Twenty-three.” 

“During that time you have once or twice 
argued with me. I ask you, as a Christian 
man, to tell me truly what you got by it.” 

“Naught.” 

“Just so. On this occasion, however, I’ve 
listened with great patience to all your objec- 
tions ” 


THE TWO PAVILIONS. 


53 


“Not a tithe of ’em.” 

“ They’ re all you’ 11 have a chance of making, 
at any rate. And I answer them thus : If the 
worst come to the worst, I’ll cover the whole of 
this property with a couple of tubs, one to catch 
rain-water, and t’other filled with garden 
mold. If the sea rots ’em, I’ll have the whole 
estate careened, and it’s bottom pitched and 
its seams stopped with oakum. I’ll rig up a 
battery here, and if the water-butt runs dry 
you shall blaze away at the guns until you 
fetch the rain down, as I’ve seen it fetched 
down before now, by a cannonade. But I mean 
to have a garden here, and a garden I’ll have.” 

Faithful to this resolve, Captain Barker set 
to work to study the art in which Tristram 
was to be instructed, and, being by nature a 
hater of superficiality, determined to begin by 
acquainting himself with everything that had 
been written about the nature and habits of 
plants from the earliest ages to that present 
day. He engaged a young demy of Magdalen 
College, Oxford — son of Mr. Lucas, saddler, 
of the High Street, Harwich — who was much 
pinched to continue his studies at the univer- 


54 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


sity, to extract and translate for him what 
ever Aristotle, Theophrastus, and others of 
the Peripatetic school had written on the sub- 
ject ; to search the college libraries for infor- 
mation concerning the horticulture of China 
and Persia, the hanging gardens of Babylon, 
those planted by the learned Abdullatif at 
Bagdad, and the European paradises of Na- 
ples, Florence, Monza, Mannheim, and Leyden ; 
to draw up plans and a particular description 
of the Oxford Physic Garden, by Magdalen 
College, as well as the plantations of Worces- 
ter, Trinity, and St. John’s Colleges ; and to 
ransack the bookshops of that seat of learning 
for such works as might be procurable in no 
more difficult tongue than the Latin. In 
this way Captain Barker became possessed of 
a vast number of monkish herbals, Pliny’s 
“Historia Naturalis,” the “ Herbarum Vivse 
Eicones” of Brunsfels, the treatises of Tragus, 
Fuchsius, Matthiolus, Ebn Beitliar, and Con- 
rad Geisner, the “Stirpium Adversaria Nova” 
and “Plantarum seu Stirpium Historia” of 
Mathew Lobel, with the works of such living 
botanists as Henshaw, Hook, Grew, and Mal- 
phiglii. As the captain had no thought of re- 


THE TWO PA VI LIONS. 


55 


suming a seafaring life, he felt confident of 
digesting in time these masses of learning, 
though it annoyed him at first to find himself 
capable of understanding but a tenth of what 
he read. On summer evenings he would sit 
out on the lawn, with a folio balanced on his 
knee, and do violence to Mr. Swigg’s ears with 
such learned terms as “Boraginise,” “Cucur- 
bitacese,” “ Leguminosae,” and as winter drew 
in, master and man would hold long consul- 
tations indoors over certain plants, the por- 
traits of which in the herbals seemed familiar 
enough though their habitats often proved on 
further reading to be no nearer than Arabia 
Felix or the Spice Islands. Nevertheless they 
took some practical steps. To begin with, the 
soil of the garden before the Blue Pavilion was 
entirely changed — Captain Barker importing 
from The Hague no less than thirty tons of the 
mold most approved by the Dutch tulip 
growers. A tank, too, was sunk at the back 
of the building, toward the marsh, as a recep- 
tacle and reservoir for rain water ; and by 
Tristram’s fourth birthday his adoptive father 
began to build, on the south side of the house, 
a hybernatory, or greenhouse, differing in size 


56 


TEE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


only from that which Solomon de Caus had the 
honor to erect for the Elector Palatine in his 
gardens at Heidelberg. 

Meanwhile Captain Runacles, who watched 
these operations from the other side of the 
privet hedge, and picked up many scraps of 
rumor from the antique Simeon, was consumed 
with scorn and envy. The two friends no 
longer spoke. At the back of the Fish and 
Anchor, across the road, there stretched at 
this time the largest and fairest bowling-green 
in the east of England — three good acres of 
smooth turf, stretching almost to the edge of 
the sea-cliff, on which side the wall was cut 
down to within a foot of the ground, so that 
the gossips as they played, or sat and smoked 
on the benches about the green, might have a 
clear view of the ships entering or leaving the 
harbor, or of others that, hull down on the 
horizon, took the sunset on their sails. Hither 
it had always been the custom of the two 
captains to repair at the closing in of the day, 
and drink their beer together as they watched 
this or that vessel more or less narrowly avoid- 
ing the shoals below. Nor would they com- 
monly retire, unless the weather was dirty, 


THE TWO PAVILIONS. 


51 


until the sea-coal fire was lit above the town 
gate, and the lesser lighthouse upon the town 
green answered with its six candles. Now, 
however, though they met here as usual, no 
salutation was exchanged. On benches as far 
apart as possible, they drank their beer in 
silence, and watched the players. The situa- 
tion was understood by everybody at the inn ; 
and at first some awkward attempts were made 
to heal the breach. But Captain Jeremy’s 
scowl and the light in Captain John’s green 
eyes soon convinced the busybodies that they 
were playing with fire, and likely to burn their 
fingers. 

In his home. Captain Runacles grew restless. 
To cure this he set to work, and finished a large 
dial which he had long intended to present to 
the Corporation of Harwich to set up over the 
town gate. The corporation accepted the gift, 
and employed their clerk to write a letter of 
thanks. The language of this letter was so 
flattering that Captain Runacles made another 
dial for the Exchange. Being thanked for this 
also, he presented an excellent pendulum clock 
of his own making, to be placed over his Maj- 
esty’s arms upon the principal gate of the dock- 


58 


THE BL UE PA VILIONB. 


yard ; with a bell above the clock to strike the 
hours of the day, as well as to summon the 
men to their work ; and two more dials, the one 
for the new townhall, the other for the alms- 
houses near St. Helen’s Port. Again the cor- 
poration thanked him as profusely as before, 
but asked him to be at the expense of affixing 
these dials, which, both by their beauty and 
number, were rapidly making Harwich unique 
among towns of its size. Upon this, Captain 
Runacles, in a huff, forswore all further mu- 
nificence, and applied himself to the construc- 
tion of a pair of compasses capable of dividing 
an inch into a thousand parts, and to the sink- 
ing of a well in the marsh behind his pavilion. 
The design of this well was extremely ingen- 
ious. It was worked by means of a wheel, nine 
feet in diameter, with steps in its circumfer- 
ence like those of a treadmill, and so weighted, 
that by walking upon it, as if up a flight of 
stairs, a person of eleven or twelve stone would 
draw up a bucket — two buckets being so hung, 
at the ends of a rope surrounding the wheel, 
that, while one ascended, full of water, the 
other, which was empty, sank down and was re- 
filled. These buckets being too heavy for a man 


THE TWO PAVILIONS. 


59 


to overturn to pour out the water, he bored a hole 
in each, and contrived to plug the holes so that 
the weight of the bucket as it bumped upon the 
trough, prepared for it at the well’ s edge, jogged 
out the plug and sent the water running down 
the trough into whatever pail or vessel stood 
ready to catch it. Nor is it astonishing that he 
lost his temper when, after these preparations, 
he found that the well was not deep enough, and 
the water as much infected with brine as if he 
had gathered it from the surface of the marsh. 

It was on the day following this disappoint- 
ment that while walking to and fro the length 
of his turfed garden, between three and four in 
the afternoon (for his habits were methodical), 
he heard a child’s voice lifted on the far side 
of the party hedge : 

“Dad!” 

“ Eh ? What is it ? ” answered the voice of 
Captain Barker, from his new tulip-bed, across 
the garden. 

“ What thing is this \ ” 

“ A nymph.” Captain Runacles guessed by 
this that the four-year-old’s question had 
reference to one of the figure-heads disposed 
along the hedge. 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


60 


“ What is a nymph ? ” 

“ A sort of girl.” 

“ I don’t like this sort of girl. She’s got no 
legs.” 

“ Come over here and look at this tulip.” 

“There’s a much better sort of girl next 
door,” Tristram continued, unheeding. 

“ What do you know about her?” sharply 
inquired his guardian. 

“Oh, I see her often at the top window, and 
sometimes out walking. Nurse says we’re not 
to speak, so we put out our tongues at each 
other.” 

“Tristram, come over here and look ” 

“ She’s got funny curls, and puts her doll to 
bed in the window-seat every night. I like 
that sort of girl. When I grow up,” the young 
bashaw proceeded, “I shall have lots of that 
sort all over the garden, instead of these 
wooden things.” 

Captain Barker treated this Oriental day- 
dream with silence. 

“ Dad, why am I worth more than all the 
girls in the world ? ” 

“ Who said you were ? ” 

“ Nurse. She says you think so. She says 


THE TWO PAVILIONS. 


61 


the big man next door would give his eyes to 
have a boy like me ; but he can’t make nothing 
of a girl, and don’t try. Narcissus ” 

“ Hallo ! ” replied the heavy voice of Mr. 
Svviggs. 

“Have you got a boy?” 

“No, sir; ’nmarried.” 

“What did you give your eye for, then ?” 

“Losh!” ejaculated Narcissus, as Captain 
Barker pounced on the youngster and haled 
him off to the tulip-bed. The interrogatory 
was stayed for a while. 

Captain Runacles, who had caught every 
word, strode half a dozen times up and down 
his grass-plot ; then summoned Simeon. 

“Tell nurse to send Miss Sophia down to 
me.” 

Five minutes later a small child of seven ap- 
peared in the doorway, and, after hesitating 
there for a moment, stepped timidly across 
the turf. Her figure and movements were 
ungainly, and her complexion appeared un- 
naturally sallow against a dark gray frock. A 
wet brush, applied two minutes before with 
inconsiderate zeal, had taken all the curl out 
of her dark hair and smoothed it in preposter- 


62 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


ous bands on each side of her brow. Her arms 
hung stiff and perpendicular, and she fidgetted. 
with her short skirt as she advanced. 

Captain Runacles stopped short in his walk 
and surveyed her. 

44 H’ m, ” he said. 4 4 Don’ t shuffle . 5 ’ 

The little girl looked up, dropped her eyes 
again quickly, and let her hands hang limp 
beside her. She was shaking from head to foot. 

44 You are a girl.” 

4 4 Pardon, father,” she mumbled, in a low 
whisper. 

“Next door there lives a small boy. You 
are in the habit of putting out your tongue at 
him. Why?” 

44 1— I ” 

Her voice wavered and she broke into a fit 
of sobbing. 

44 Tut, tut! Stop that noise. I haven’t 
scolded you. On the contrary, I sent for you 
in the hope that you might always be able to 
put out your tongue at that boy. Sophia, dry 
your eyes and attend, please. Would you 
like to be an accomplished woman % ” 

44 If it please you, father.” 

“Now may the devil fly away with the 


THE TWO PAVILIONS. 


63 


whole sex ! If they do happen to desire any- 
thing good in itself, it’s always to please some 
man or another. Sophia, I ask yon if, for 
your own sake, and for the sake of knowledge, 
you will be my pupil ; if you care to pursue 

” Captain Eunacles checked himself, not 

because he had any idea that he was talking 
over the head of a girl of seven, but because a 
general proposition had occurred to him. 

“Woman’s notion of a pursuit,” he said, 
clasping his hands behind him and regarding 
his daughter’s tear-stained face with severity, 
“woman’s notion of a pursuit is entirely 
passive. Her only idea is to be pursued ; and 
even so her mind runs on ultimate capture. 
Sophia,” he continued, himself forgetting, for 
the moment, his view of knowledge as sui 
causa optandum , “would you like to please 
me by licking that boy across the hedge into a 
cocked hat ? ” 

“ But — oh, father ! ” 

“What is it?” 

She could not answer for a moment. For 
did he know that she besought God every 
night to change her into a boy that she might 
find some grace in his sight. 


64 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


“You have one advantage,” said her father 
coldly, as she struggled to keep down her 
tears. “Your rival across the hedge is in a 
fair way to be turned into a fool. We will 
begin to-morrow. In a week or so I shall be 
able to pronounce some opinion on your ca- 
pacity. Now run indoors to your nurse — why, 
bless my soul ! ” 

The child had trotted forward, and, taking 
his hand, kissed it passionately. He looked 
into her face, and, finding it white, as if she 
would faint in another moment, lifted her in 
his arms and carried her into the pavilion. 


CHAPTER IY. 

the two pavilions ( Continued ). 

“We must have an apiarium” Captain 
Barker announced, a week later. 

“ What’s that ? ” Mr. Swiggs asked. 

“ Half a dozen beehives, at least.” 

“ Ho room.” 

“There is nothing,” pursued Captain Bar- 
ker, “that gives such character to a garden 
as an apiarium , unless it be fish ponds. I 
will have both.” 

“Ho water.” 

“The fish ponds shall be constantly sup- 
plied with running water. I will have three 
ponds at different levels, connected with minia- 
ture waterfalls, and approached by an allee 
verte. The glimpse of water between green 
hedges will be extremely refreshing to the 
eye. The apiarium shall stand close to these 
ponds — as Y irgil advises : 

At liquidi fontes et stagna virentia musco 
Adsint et tenuis fugiens per gramina rivus, 

65 


66 


THE BL UE PA VIIJONS. 


and shall be surrounded with beds of violets 
and lavender, and such blue flower as bees 
especially love. When, Narcissus, I glance 
over the hedge at the back of the house and 
behold Captain Runacles’ two acres lying 
waste, cumbered like a mining country with 
the ruins of his mechanical toys, I have a 
mind to ” 

“ He’ll neither sell nor lend.” 

“I perceive that in time we must set about 
draining so much of the marsh outside as 
belongs to me. There, if anywhere, the fish 
ponds must lie. In the meantime there is a 
full rood of ground beyond the north hedge 
that we may consider. By cutting a path 
through the privet there, and inclosing this 
parcel, we gain for our bees a quadrangle 
which will not only give them their proper 
seclusion, but may be planted in the classical 
style without offense to the rest of our garden. 
The privet, serving as a screen ” 

Invigorated by Mr. Swiggs’s opposition, the 
little man continued for twenty minutes to 
revel in details, and ended by rushing his com- 
panion off to examine the ground. In his hot 
fit he forgot all about Tristram, who, tired of 


THE TWO PAVILIONS. 


67 


listening, had slipped away among the goose- 
berry bushes, with a half-eaten slice of bread 
and butter in his hand. 

The first proved green and hard — for it was 
now the third week of May — and by the time 
his bread and butter was eaten the boy had 
a fancy to explore further. He wandered 
through the strawberry-beds, and finding 
nothing there but disappointment allowed him- 
self to run lazily after a white butterfly, which 
led him down to the front of the pavilion, 
over the parterres of budding tulips, and across 
to an east border gay with hearteases, bache- 
lor’s buttons, forget-me-nots, and purple hon- 
esty. The scent of budding yews met him 
here, blown softly across from Captain luna- 
cies’ garden. The wiiite butterfly balanced 
himself on this odorous breeze, and, rising 
against it, skimmed suddenly over the hedge 
and dropped out of sight. 

Now, there was set, under an archway in the 
hedge, a blue door, the chinks of which were 
veiled with cobwebs and the panels streaked 
with the silvery tracks of snails. By this 
pervius usus (as Captain Runacles called it, 
the two friends had been used to visit each 


68 


THE BL UE PA VI LIONS. 


other, but since the quarrel it had never been 
used. No lock had been fixed upon it, how- 
ever. Only the passions of two obstinate men 
had kept it shut for four years and more. 

The child contemplated this door for a min- 
ute, then lifted himself on tiptoe and stretched 
his hand up toward the rusty latch. It was a 
good six inches above his reach. 

He glanced back over his shoulder. Nobody 
was in sight. His eyes fell on a stack of 
flower-pots left by Narcissus beside the path. 
He fetched one, set it upside-down in front of 
the door, and climbed a-top of it. 

This time he reached the latch, and lifted it 
with some difficulty. His weight pressed the 
door open and he fell forward, sprawling on 
hands and knees, into the next garden. 

He picked himself up, and was on the point 
of fetching a prolonged howl; but suddenly 
thought better of it, and began to stare instead. 

Barely six paces in front of him, and in the 
center of a round garden bed, a small girl w r as 
kneeling. She held a rusty table-knife, the 
blade of which was covered with mold ; and 
as she gazed back at him the boy saw that her 
face was stained with weeping. 


THE TWO PAVILIONS. 


09 


“ Hallo !” 

“Hallo!” 

“ I was just thinking of you, little boy, and 
beginning to despise you, when plump ! — in 
you tumbled.” 

“But, I say — look here, you know — I’ve 
been told what despising is, and if you despise 
me you ought to say why.” 

“Because I’ve been ordered to. I’m going 
to do it out of this book here. Listen — ‘ A 
point is that which has no parts and no magni- 
tude’; and that’s only the beginning. Oh, 
my dear, I’ll wither you up — you just wait a 
bit ! ” 

She dug the knife viciously into the earth. 

“ I don’t care,” said Tristram affably. 

“ P’raps you don’t know what ‘ Don’t Care ’ 
came to % ” 

“No, I don’t.” 

“ Well, he came to — a place. It was a good 
deal deeper down than this hole I’m digging.” 

“ What’s the hole for \ ” 

“ My doll, here. I’ve got to put away child- 
ish things ; so I’m going to cover her right up 
and never see her face again. Oh ! Oh ! ” 

She began to sob as if her heart would break. 


70 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


“ I wouldn’t cry if I were you. I didn’t 
cry just now when I tumbled off the flower-pot.” 

“You don’t know what it is to be a mother.” 

“No, but I can dig ever so much better than 
you. Look here. I’ve got a spade of my own, 
and I’ll show you how to dig properly, if you 
like.” 

He ran off, returning with it in less than a 
minute. In another minute they were en- 
grossed in the burial rights, the girl still play- 
ing at the tragedy, but enjoying herself im- 
mensely. 

“We must read something over the re- 
mains,” she announced. 

“Why?” 

“Because it’s always done unless the dead 
person is buried with a stake through his 
inside.” 

“ Well, we’d better take her out again and 
put a stake through her, because I can’t read.” 

“Haven’t you begun to learn yet?’ 

“No.” 

“ Well,” said Sophia, picking up the Eu- 
clid, “ you can hold a corner of the book and 
listen to what I read : and perhaps you can 
repeat some of it after me.” 


TEE TWO PAVILIONS. 


11 


They were standing over the doll’s grave, 
side by side, and chanting in antiphon the 
fourth proposition of the first book of Eu- 
clid, when Captain Runacles came round the 
corner of the house, and halted to rub his 
eyes. 

At the sound of his footstep on the gravel 
Sophia snatched the book from Tristram and 
looked desperately round. It was too late. 
Her father was glaring down upon them both, 
with his hands behind him and his chin stuck 
forward. 

“You miserable child ! ” 

He pronounced it deliberately, syllable by 
syllable, and turned upon Tristram. 

“Will you kindly explain, sir, to what I 
owe the honor of your presence in my gar- 
den \ ” 

Tristram, who had never before been ad- 
dressed with such harshness, failed to under- 
stand the tone of this speech, and answered 
with amiable directness : 

“I tumbled in off a flower-pot.” 

“Indeed!” 

“Yes ; and I stayed because I liked the girl, 
here.” 


72 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“ You do her infinite honor.” 

“ I’m going away now, because I’m hungry. 
But I’ll come back again after dinner, all right.” 

“No,” said Captain Runacles grimly ; “ on 
that point you must allow me to correct you. 
You infernal young cub, if I catch you here 
again ” 

“ Hi ! Captain ! ” interrupted a voice at the 
foot of the garden. 

Doctor Beckerleg stood beside the blue gate 
and held it open to admit another visitor, 
whose dress and appearance were unfamiliar 
to the captain. He paused midway in his 
threat, and removed his eyes from the chil- 
dren. Sophia crept toward the house, while 
Tristram seized his opportunity and slipped 
away to the safe side of the privet hedge. 

“Let me present,” said the doctor, “Mr. 
Josias Finch, of Boston, New England.” 

“Attorney-at-law,” Mr. Finch added, lift- 
ing his hat politely. 

He was a little man with a tight chin and 
small intelligent eyes that twinkled deep in 
a round, fat face. His dress was of a snuff- 
colored material, decorated with silver but- 
tons, and he wore a voluminous wig. 


the two pa vilions. 


IS 


“ With news for you, Captain.” 

“Important news,” Mr. Finch echoed. He 
pulled out a silver snuff-box and offered it to 
Captain Barnacles. “ You don’t indulge ? 
But you will suffer me, no doubt. Ah ! ” he 
went on, inhaling the pinch, “it has been a 
long journey, sir, and my stomach abhors sea- 
voyaging.” 

“ Shall we step into the house,” suggested 
Captain Bunacles. 

“ By all means, sir. My business is simple, 
but may require some elucidation. May I 
suggest that Dr. Beckerleg accompanies us. 
He is already acquainted with the drift of my 
commission, for reasons I will expound here- 
after.” 

“ Of course. Come in, Doctor.” He led the 
pair into his dining-room. “ I may as well 
state, Mr. Finch, that my temper is somewhat 
impatient. If you come as a friend, my hospi- 
tality is yours for as long as you care to use it ; 
but I’d take it kindly if you came to the heart 
of your business at once.” 

“To be sure, sir; and a very proper atti- 
tude. I plunge then in mediam rem. You 
will doubtless remember Silvan us Tell worthy, 


74 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


younger brother of the late Sir Jabez Tellwor* 
thy, whose virtues recently ceased to adorn' 
this neighborhood. 5 5 

“ Perfectly. 55 

“His conscience led him to exchange this 
country, in the thirty-fifth year of his age, 
for a soil more amical to his religious opin- 
ions. 55 

“I have heard 5 twas for fear of the atten- 
tions of a widow in Harwich ; but proceed. 55 

Having amassed a considerable fortune, he 
died, sir, of a paralytical stroke, upon the 12th 
of November last. 55 

“ I am sorry to hear it. 55 

“ That was the common expression of Boston 
at the time. Dismissing for a more leisurely 
occasion the consideration of his civic virtues, 
I may say that I had the honor to possess his 
confidence in the double capacity of friend and 
legal adviser. It fell to me to draw up his will, 
some few years before his decease ; and now I 
am left to the task of giving it effect. He was 
a childless man, and, with the exception of 
some trifling legacies to the town of Boston 
and a few private friends, bequeathed his 
wealth to his only niece, Margaret, daugh- 


THE TWO PA VILIONS. 


15 


ter of Sir Jabez Tell worthy, already men- 
tioned, and her heirs.” 

Captain Runacles uncrossed his legs and ad- 
dressed Dr. Beckerleg. 

“Doctor, haven’t you brought this gentle- 
man to the wrong pavilion?” 

“ I should rather say,” Mr. Finch continued, 
“that a life interest only was bestowed upon 
Margaret Salt, the bulk of the estate going to 
the anticipated heirs of her body, and being 
(also by anticipation) apportioned among them 
on a principle of division which need not occupy 
our attention, for (as it turns out) she has left 
but one child. My client made this will soon 
after receiving the news of his niece’s marriage 
with Captain Roderick Salt, and before he had 
any reason to suspect that gentleman’s charac- 
ter. It was therefore natural that in selecting 
a couple of trustees he regarded the captain as 
the man who, of all others, might be reckoned 
on to look after the interests of the child or 
children. When, however, the unamiable 
qualities of Captain Salt reached his ear 
he would doubtless have made some alter- 
ation in his will but for the tidings of 
that officer’s death in the Low Countries. 


*76 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


He had such confidence in the surviving 
trustee ” 

“ Man alive!” Captain Runacles broke in, 
“ if you are talking of yourself, let me advise 
you to quit England by the first ship that sails. 
The child is already furnished with a guardian 
— a guardian, my dear sir, who will nullify 
your legal claim upon the child by the simple 
expedient of taking your life.” 

“ But, excuse me ” 

“You will waive your claim, of course. 
But let me also advise you also to conceal it ; 
for Captain Barker is quite capable, should he 
get hold of this will, of regarding your mere 
existence as an insult.” 

“But, dear me — if you will allow me to 
speak — I am not talking of myself.” 

“No ?” 

“No, I am not the child’s legal guardian.” 

“ I congratulate you. But who is it, then ? ” 

“ It is you, Captain Runacles.” 

“ What ! ” The captain leapt up, and 
glared at Mr. Finch incredulously. 

“ Here is a copy of the will ; read for your- 
self. My friend, Silvanus Tellworthy, remem- 
bered you as a friend of his early days and 


THE TWO PAVILIONS. 


17 


as a man of probity. He had heard also, from 
time to time, news of your public actions that 
increased his esteem. He was informed — par- 
don me if I mention it — of your sincere and 
honorable affection for his niece ; and, indeed, 

hoped, I may say ” 

“No more on that point, if you please.” 

44 Sir, I am silent, and ask your pardon.” 

44 But — but — Doctor, this is simply astound- 
ing. Do you hear what that gentleman says ? — 
that I — I alone — am Tristram’s guardian, after 
all ? ” 

Mr. Finch and Dr. Beckerleg exchanged an 
anxious look. The doctor cleared his throat 
and took up the story. 

“No, my dear Captain, I regret that you 
make one mistake. You said 4 alone.’ ” 

44 What ? Is there another trustee ? ” 

44 There is the man already mentioned — [Rod- 
erick Salt.” 

44 Tut, tut — he’s dead.” 

“I fear, on the contrary, that he’s alive.” 

44 But he was drowned, confound him ! ” 

44 Some meddling Netherlander, cursed with 
too much knowledge, must have balked the 
will of Heaven by dragging him out of the ditch 


78 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


and reviving him. He was rescued, sir, and 
clapped into prison ; escaped by turning trai- 
tor and entering the service of the Prince of 
Orange — in what capacity I dare not say ; but 
likely enough as a spy, or perhaps a kidnapper 
of soldiers. There are plenty of the trade 
along the frontiers, just now. He has changed 
his name, but has been recognized by more 
than one Harwich man at The Hague, and again 
at Cuxhaven. For a year, now, I have heard 
nothing of him. Belike he is off upon a dirty 
mission to some German principality no bigger 
than your back garden ; ambassadors of his 
size are as easy to find on the continent of 
Europe as a needle in a bottle of hay. Or, 
may be, he wanders on some gaming campaign 
of his own ” 

The face of Captain Runacles, as the doctor 
proceeded, went through three rapid changes 
of color — white, scarlet, and purple. 

“ You knew all this ? ” he shouted, the con- 
gested veins standing out upon his temples ; 
“you knew all this, and kept us in the 
dark ? ” 

“I did. It affected the child in no way. 
The fellow clearly knew nothing, or cared 


THE TWO PA VILIONS. 


79 


nothing, about Tristram. Even supposing — 
which was absurd — that he would wish to 
burden himself with the boy, I felt pretty sure 
of Barker’s ability to cope with him at the 
briefest notice. Moreover, considering his 
mode of life, I hoped by waiting a very short 
while to be able to tell you that Captain Salt’s 
career was ended by the halter. You see, he 
was evidently not born to be drowned, and I 
drew the usual inference. But Mr. Finch’s 
news puts a very different complexion on the 
business. Tristram being heir, as I under- 
stand, to some fifteen hundred pounds per 
annum ” 

“Mr. Finch,” said the captain calmly, step- 
ping to the door and locking it, “have you, by 
any chance, the intention of seeking out my 
co- trustee ? ” 

“H’m! I am bound, sir, to consider my 
duty as a professional man.” 

“ Let me entreat you also to reconsider it.” 

The little attorney glanced over his shoulder 
at the closed door. 

“ Sir,” he replied with dignity, “ I perceive 
that I have been unfortunate enough to give 
you a wrong notion of my character. Let me 


80 


TEE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


say that in interpreting my duty I am even 
less likely to be coerced by threats than by the 
strict letter of the law. I will not be dra- 
gooned. And I decide nothing until you have 
opened that door.” 

“ And that’s mighty well said,” commented 
Dr. Beckerleg. 

Captain Jemmy slipped back the bolt. 

“ I shall nevertheless hold you to account,” 
he growled. 

“ Thank you ; I’m accustomed to responsibil- 
ity. And now let me say that as the child 
seems to be in good hands ” 

“ On the contrary, he’s in outrageously bad 
ones.” 

“ or rather in the hands of an upright 

and kindly gentleman, I think we may per- 
haps agree that these rumors about Captain 
Salt are — shall we say % — too good to be true. 
May I ask Dr. Beckerleg, here, if he believes in 
ghosts ? ” 

“Firmly,” answered the doctor, hiding a 
smile. 

“ I have known occasions,” the attorney 
went on, with a serious face, “ when a cautious 
belief in ghosts has proved of the very high- 


THE TWO PAVILIONS. 


81 


est service in dealing with apparently intract- 
able problems. Or suppose we call it an hy- 
pothesis, liable to correction.” 

“ That’s it,” assented the captain heartily. 
“I can believe Roderick Salt to be a ghost 
until he comes to me and proves that he is 
not.” 

“ Decidedly.” 

“ And then I’ll make him one.” 

The corners of Mr. Finch’s mouth twitched 
perceptibly. 

“Gently, dear sir ; remember, please, that I 
am only concerned with the immediate situa- 
tion. To-morrow I start again for Bristol, 
leaving the future to be dealt with as your 
prudence may direct. But I have no doubt,” 
he added, with a bow, “ that you will act in all 
contingencies with a single eye to the child’s 
welfare. It is understood, then, that the 
child, Tristram Salt, remains under the care of 
Captain Barker, your friend, and his adoptive 
father.” 

“Not at all.” 

“I think so,” said Dr. Beckerleg quietly, 
looking straight into the captain’s eyes. 

“That’s for me to decide, Doctor.” 


82 


TEE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“ Tut-tut! it was decided the moment you 
were born.” 

“I think,” Mr. Finch interposed, “it is 
time I gave Captain Runacles some necessary 
information about the boy’s inheritance.” 

It was close upon four o’clock when the little 
blue door which, until that morning, had re- 
mained shut for over four years was opened a 
second time, and Captain Bunacles stepped 
through into Captain Barker’s domain. His 
wig was carefully brushed, and he carried a 
gold- headed cane. Whatever emotion he may 
have felt was concealed by the upright carriage 
and solemn pace proper to a visit of state. 

Captain Barker, who stood at the lower end 
of the garden, stooped over his beloved tulips, 
started at the sound of footsteps, looked round, 
and, hastily plucking his wig from the handle 
of a spade that stood upright in the mold by 
his elbow, arranged it upon his bald scalp and 
awaited the other’s advance. 

The pair did not shake hands. 

“ I have come to speak with you about — er — 
Tristram.” The name stuck in Captain Jere- 
my’s throat. 

“ The boy strayed into your premises to-day. 


THE TWO PAVILION'S. 


83 


I know it. If you are aggrieved by such a 
trifle ” 

“ I am not. If you doubt the sufficiency of 
my excuse for calling upon you, let me say at 
once that I come as the boy’s guardian.” 

“ Upon my word ” 

“ As his legal guardian.” 

u Bah! This is too much! Do you con- 
ceive yourself to be jesting? ” 

“ Have you ever known me to jest ? ” 

“ Not willfully.” 

“ Not, at any rate, upon parchment. Be so 
good as to run your eye over this.” 

The little man took the copy of Silvanus 
Tell worthy’s will and fumbled it between his 
fingers. 

“ Is this some dirty trick of lawyer’s work ? ” 

“It is.” 

“ Do you really wish me to read it ? ” 

“Unless you prefer me to explain.” 

“ I do — vastly.” 

“Very well, then.” 

And Captain Kunacles proceeded to explain 
the will in a hard, methodical voice, nodding 
his head whenever he reached a point of im- 
portance at the parchment which rustled be- 


84 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


tween Captain Barker’s fingers. For a while 
this rustle sounded like the whisper of a gather- 
ing storm. 

“It follows from this,” concluded Captain 
Runacles, “that I am responsible for the 
child’s upbringing. Can you carry the rea- 
soning a step further ? ” 

The little man looked up. The wrath had 
clean died out of his puckered face ; and in 
place of it there showed a blank despair, 
mingled with loathing and unspeakable bitter- 
ness of soul. 

“Yes, I can,” he replied very slowly, and 
turning away his face leant a hand on the 
spade beside him. “O Jemmy, Jemmy!” 
he muttered. 

There was no entreaty in the words, but they 
pierced Captain Jemmy’s heart like two stabs 
of a knife. He took a step forward, and 
stretched out a hand as if to lay it on his old 
friend’s shoulder. The little man jumped 
aside, faced him again, hissing out one word : 
“ You!” 

The arm dropped. 

“Jack— I’m sorry : but you have drawn the 
wrong conclusion.” 


THE TWO PAVILIONS. 


85 


The pair looked each other in the face for a 
moment, and Captain Runacles went on, but 
more coldly, and as if repeating a task : 

“Yes, the wrong conclusion. For my own 
part, as you once pointed out, I have a girl. I 
may add that I propose to train up Sophia, and 
I haven’t the faintest doubt that, in spite of 
her sex, I can train her to knock your Tris- 
tram into a cocked hat in every department of 
useful knowledge. At the same time it has 
occurred to me that, as his guardian, I am at 
least bound to give the boy every chance. 
You are teaching him gardening? ” 

Captain Barker nodded, with a face pro- 
foundly puzzled. 

“You object to it? ” he asked. 

“Decidedly, under your present conditions. 
You are cramped for space.” 

“We are using every inch between the road 
and the marsh.” 

“You forget my back garden, which lies 
waste at present.” 

“ My dear Jemmy ! ” 

“ By knocking a hole in the party hedge you 
gain two and a half acres at least. Then, as 
to water — you depend on the rainfall.” 


86 


THE BLUE PA VILI0N8. 


“ That’s true.” 

“But there’s an excellent spring between 
this and Dovercourt ; and the owner will 
sell.” 

“It’s half a mile away.” 

“ God bless my soul ! I suppose I am not 
too old to design a conduit.” 

Captain Jack’s arm stole into Captain 
Jemmy’s. 

“ You’ll be saying next,” the latter went on, 
“that I’m too old to set about draining the 
marsh. Then, as to sun-dials ; you’re amaz- 
ingly deficient in sun-dials. Now half a dozen 
here and there — and a fish pond or two — unless 
you’d like to have a moat. I could run you a 
moat around the back, and keep it supplied 
with fresh water all the year round. By the 
way, talking of moats and fresh water, did I 
tell you that Roderick Salt was not drowned 
after all? ” 

“Eh? How did he die, then?” 

“ He’s not dead.” 

“Good God!” 

“ He has been seen at The Hague, and again 
at Cuxhaven, by men of this very port. 
Beckerleg will give you their names.” 


THE TWO PAVILIONS. 


87 


“ But you tell me — the will, here, says — that 
he’s joint guardian ” 

“Yes; it’s serious, if he finds out. Mr. 
Finch — I may say I’ve a large respect for that 
attorney — suggests that it may have been his 
ghost. I think, Jack, we must take that 
explanation.” 

“Rubbish !” 

“ Ghosts have some useful properties.” 

“ Name one or two.” 

“ Well, to start with, they can be disbelieved 
in until seen.” 

“I begin to see.” 

“Then again, should one appear, he can be 
believed in, and walked through. This is a 
rule without exceptions. If you have reason 
to believe that a ghost stands before you, your 
first step would be to make a hole in him to 
convince yourself.” 

“ But if one should be mistaken % ” 

“ If the apparition gives up the ghost, so to 
speak, and you find yourself mistaken, I see no 
harm in owning it. As co-trustee of the ag- 
grieved man, I will at any time listen to your 
apologies. By the bye, I have asked Mr. Finch 
to call upon you to-morrow and explain his 


88 


TEE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


theory, among other matters of business. You 
will understand that I bear no affection toward 
this boy of yours ; on the contrary, I sincerely 
desire my Sophia to shame him with her attain- 
ments. It is a mere matter of my duty toward 
him ; and I’ll be obliged if you keep him, as 
far as possible, out of my sight. Now about 
those dials ” 

Captain Barker understood ; but replied 
only by tightening for a moment the hand that 
rested on his comrade’ s sleeve. The old friends 
moved on beside the flower borders and fell 
into trivial converse to hide a joy as deep as 
that of sweethearts who have quarreled and 
now are reconciled. 


CHAPTER V. 

A SWARM OF BEES. 

The green volume in which, for the next 
thirteen years, Captain Barker kept accurate 
chronicle of Tristram’s progress and of every 
fact, however trivial, that seemed to illustrate 
it, have since been lost to the world, as our 
story will show. There were thirty-seven of 
these volumes ; and as soon as one was filled, 
Dr. Beckerleg presented another. It is our 
duty to take up the tale on the 1st of May, 
1691 — the very day upon which misfortune 
stopped Captain Barker’s pen, and, as it 
turned out, closed his magnum opus forever. 

Let us record only that during these thir- 
teen years Tristram added so much to his stat- 
ure as to astonish his friends whenever they 
looked at him ; and that he took little interest 
in the affairs of the world beyond the privet 
hedge — affairs which just then were extremely 
unsettled, and disturbed the sleep and appe- 
tite of a vast number of people. To begin with, 


90 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


King Charles had died without giving his 
faithful subjects the honor of explaining 
whether he did so as a Protestant or a Pa- 
pist, an uncertainty which caused them endless 
trouble. The religion of his brother and suc- 
cessor, though quite unambiguous, put them 
to no less vexation by being incurably wrong ; 
and after four years of heated controversy 
they felt justified in flocking, more in sorrow 
than in anger, round the standard of William, 
Prince of Orange, who agreed with them on 
first principles and had sailed into Torbay be- 
fore an exceedingly prosperous breeze. King 
James had escaped to St. Germain’s, King Wil- 
liam reigned in his stead, to the welfare of the 
people and the intense disgust of Captain 
Barker and Captain Runacles, who, from 
habit, were unable to regard a Dutchman 
otherwise than as an enemy to be knocked 
on the head. Moreover they retained a warm 
respect for the seamanship of their ejected 
sovereign, under whom they had frequently 
served when, as Duke of York, he had com- 
manded the British fleet. 

Now shortly after daybreak upon May- 
morning, 1691, which fell on a Friday, his Maj- 


A SWARM OF BEES. 


91 


esty King William the Third set out from 
Kensington for Harwich, where a squadron of 
five-and-twenty sail, under command of Rear- 
Admiral Rooke, lay waiting to escort him to 
The Hague, there to open the summer campaign 
against King Louis of France. This expedi- 
tion suited his Majesty’s spirits for more than 
one reason. Not only would it take him for 
some months out of a country he detested and 
back to his beloved Holland — the very flat- 
ness of which was inexpressibly dear to his rec- 
ollection, though he had left it but a month 
or two — but the prospect of this year’s cam- 
paign had awakened quite an extraordinary 
enthusiasm in England. For the first time 
since Henry the Eighth had laid siege to Bou- 
logne, an English army commanded by an 
English king was about to exhibit its prowess 
on Continental soil. It became the rage 
among the young gentlemen of St. James’ and 
Whitehall to volunteer for service in Flanders. 
The coffee-houses were threatened with deser- 
tion, and a prodigious number of banquets had 
been held by way of farewell. The regiments 
which marched into Harwich on the last day 
of April to await the King were swollen with 


92 


TEE BL VE PA VILIONS. 


recruits eager for glory. Addresses of duty 
and loyalty met Ms Majesty at every lialting- 
place, and acclamations followed the royal 
coach throughout the route. The townsfolk 
of Harwich, in particular, had hung out every 
scrap of bunting they could find, besides erect- 
ing half-a-dozen triumphal arches, which by 
their taste and magnificence were calculated to 
leave the most favorable impression in the 
sovereign’s mind. 

The first of these arches, bearing the inscrip- 
tion, “ God save King William , the Defender 
of our Faith and Liberty ,” was erected on the 
London Road, a dozen paces beyond the Fish 
and Anchor Inn, Captain Barker having re- 
fused the landlord, who desired to build the 
arch right in front of his inn-door, permission 
to set up any pole or support against the privet 
hedge. In fact he and Captain Runacles 
had sworn very heartily to sit indoors, pull 
down their blinds, and withhold their coun- 
tenance from the usurper. 

Nature, however, which regards neither the 
majesty of kings nor the indignation of their 
subjects, made frustrate this unamiable de- 


sign. 


A SWARM OF BEES. 


93 


At twenty minutes past four that afternoon, 
a hivefnl of Captain Barker’s bees took it into 
their heads to swarm. 

It was a warm afternoon, and the little man 
sat in his library composing a letter to Mr. 
John Ray, of Cambridge University, whose 
forthcoming Historia Plantarum he believed 
himself to be enriching with one or two sug- 
gestions on hibernation. Narcissus Swigg was 
down at the Fish and Anchor, drinking King 
William’s health. Tristram, who was supposed 
to be at clipping the yew-hedge around the 
apiarium , was engaged in the summer-house 
at the far end of it, upon business of his 
own. 

This business, the nature of which shall 
be explained hereafter, completely engrossed 
him. Nor did he even hear the restless hum 
of the bees at the mouth of the hive, ten paces 
away, nor the noisy bustle of the drones. It 
was only when the swarm poured out upon the 
air with a whir of wings and, darkening for 
an instant the sunny doorway of the summer- 
house, sailed over the yew-hedge toward the 
road, that Tristram leapt up to his feet and 
ran at full speed toward the pavilion. 


94 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“ The bees have swarmed ! ” he called out, 
thrusting his head in at the library window. 

Captain Barker dropped his pen, bounced 
up, and came rushing out by the front door. 

“ Where ? ” 

“ Down toward the road.” 

Years had not tamed the little hunchback’s 
agility. W ithout troubling to fetch hat or wig, 
he raced down the garden path and had about 
reached the gate before Tristram caught him up. 

“ Up or down did they go ? ” he asked, stand- 
ing in the middle of the road, uncertain in 
which direction to run. 

“ Across, most likely, but higher up than 
this, by the line they took,” Tristram an- 
swered, pointing in the direction of the 
town. “Hullo!” 

“What is it? ” 

“ Why, look ; there — under the arch ! ” 

Beneath the very center of the triumphal 
arch, and directly under the sacred name of 
King William, there hung a black object 
larger than a man’s head and in shape re- 
sembling a bunch of grapes. It was the 
swarm, and a very fine one, numbering — 
as Captain Barker estimated — twenty thou- 


A 8 WARM OF BEES. 95 

sand workers at the very least. *He ran urn 
der the arch and nearly cricked his neck 
staring at them. 

His excited motions had been seen by a 
small knot of wagoners and farmhands who 
were drinking and gossiping on the benches 
before the Fish and Anchor, to while away 
the time of waiting for the King’s arrival. 
At first they thought the royal cavalcade 
must be in sight, though not expected for 
an hour or more ; and hurried up in twos 
and threes. 

“What’s the to-do, Captain?” 

“Where’s that lumbering fool, Narcissus ?” 
demanded Captain Barker, stamping his foot 
and pointing to the cluster over his head. 

Mr. Swiggs came forward, wiping his mouth 
with the back of his hand. He had been the 
last to arrive, having lingered a minute to 
attend to the half-emptied mugs of his more 
impatient fellows. 

“ Here,” he announced. 

“ Fetch a ladder, and bring one of the new 
hives — the one I rubbed with elder-buds the 
day before yesterday. Tristram, run to the 
house for my gloves and a board. Quick, 


96 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


I say — here, somebody kick that one-eyed 
dawdler! What the plague? Haven’t there 
been kings enough in England these last fifty 
years that you waste a good afternoon on the 
lookout for the newest ? ” 

“You’ll be careful of my arch, Captain?” 
the landlord hazarded nervously. “His Maj- 
esty ’ll be coming along presently.” 

“I’ll be careful of my bees. D’ye want me 
to leave them there till he passes, and may-be 
to lose the half of my swarm down the nape 
of his royal neck ? I can’t help their wearing 
the Orange, they were born o’ that color, 
which is more than you can say, landlord, or 
any man Jack here present. But I can pre- 
vent their swarming and buzzing in his Maj- 
esty’s path like any other crowd of turncoats. 
Ah, here comes Tristram and the ladder. Set 
it here, my boy. Take care and don’t run a 
hole through ‘King William’ — leave that to 
his new friends. So ; now pull on the gloves 
and step up, while I come after with the 
hive.” 

Tristram, having fixed the ladder firmly, a 
little to the right of the swarm, began to 
ascend. Captain Barker, giving orders to 


A SWARM OF BEES. 


97 


Narcissus to stand by with the flat board, 
took the empty hive, and holding it balanced, 
upside down, in the hollow of his palm, was 
preparing to follow on Tristram’s heels, when 
an interruption occurred. 

Round the course of the road from Harwich 
town came a red-coated captain riding on a 
gray charger, and’ behind him a company of 
foot marching eight abreast, with a sergeant 
beside them. 

“Hullo!” cried the captain, halting his 
company and riding forward. He was a thin 
and foppish young gentleman, in a flaxen wig, 
and spoke with a high sense of authority, 
having but recently sacrificed the pleasure of 
his coffee-house and a fine view of St. James’ 
Park to seek, even in the cannon’s mouth, a bub- 
ble reputation that promised to be fashionable. 
“ Hullo ! what’s the meaning of this \ ” 

“ Bees,” answered Captain Barker shortly. 
“ Narcissus, is the board ready % ” 

“Do you know, sir, that his Majesty is 
shortly expected along here ? ” 

“ To be sure I do.” 

“Then, sir, you are obstructing the road. 
This is most irregular.” 


98 


THE BL UE PA VILI0N8. 


“Not at all — most regular tiling in the 
world. A little early perhaps, for the first 
swarm, but ” 

“Be so good as to take down that ladder at 
once and let my company pass.” 

“A step higher, Tristram,” said the little 
man, turning a deaf ear to this order. “Bet- 
ter use the right hand. Wait a moment, 
while I get the hive underneath.” 

“Take down that ladder!” shouted the 
red-coated officer. 

“You must wait a moment, I’m afraid.” 

“ You refuse ? ” 

“ Oh, dear, yes ! Keep back, sir, for the 
bees are easily frightened.” 

“ Sergeant ! ” foamed the young man, 
“come and remove this ladder!” 

He spurred his horse up to the arch as the 
sergeant stepped forward. The beast, being 
restive, rubbed against the ladder with his 
flank and shook it violently just as Tristram 
dislodged the swarm overhead. Captain Bar- 
ker reached out, however, and caught them 
deftly in the upturned hive. Into it they 
tumbled plump. But the little man, exasper- 
ated by the shock, had now completely lost 


A SWARM OF BEES. 


99 


his temper. With sudden and infernal malice 
he inverted the beehive and clapped it, bees 
and all, on the officer’s head. 

With that he skipped down to the ground, 
and Tristram, foreseeing mischief, slid down 
after him, quick as thought. 

The officer roared like Hercules caught in 
the shirt of Nessus, nor for a few seconds 
could he get rid of his diabolical helmet ; for 
a couple of bees had stung the charger, which 
began to plunge and caper like a mad thing, 
scattering the crowd right and left with his 
hoof. When at length he shook the hive off, 
the furious swarm poured out upon the air, 
dealing vengeance. The soldiers, whose red 
coats attracted them at once, fled this way and 
that, howling with pain, pursued now by the 
bees and now chased into circles by the lash- 
ing heels of the gray horse. The poor brute 
was stung by degrees into a frenzy. With a 
wild leap, in which his fore-legs seemed to 
meet under his belly, he pitched his master 
clean over the crupper, and, as a wind through 
chaff, swept through the people at a gallop 
and off along the road toward the town. 

“Whew!” whistled Captain John Barker; 


\00 


TEE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


and stepping quickly to the prostrate offi- 
cer he whipped the unhappy gentleman’s 
sword from its sheath and handed it to 
Tristram. 

“ We’d best get out of this.” 

“That’s not easy. There’s a score of sol- 
diers between us and the gate; and the ser- 
geant looks the mischief.” 

“Bless my soul, what a face I’ve put on 
that young man ! ” 

The officer, who had been stunned for a 
moment by his fall, was soon recalled to life 
by the pain of the stings. He sat up and 
looked round. Already his face had about as 
much feature as a turnip. His eyes were clos- 
ing fast and a lump as large as a plover’s egg 
hung on his under-lip. 

“ Seize those men ! ” he shouted, and began 
a string of oaths, but stopped because the 
utterance caused him agony. 

The sergeant, who had been bending over 
him, drew his side-arm and advanced — a hulk- 
ing big fellow with a pimply face and an ugly 
look in his eye. 

“Had,” said Tristram, “you made me 
promise once never to run a man through un- 


A SWARM OF BEES. 


101 


less lie molested me in the midst of a peace- 
ful pursuit.” 

“Well?” 

“ It appears to me that beekeeping is a 
peaceful pursuit.” 

“ Decidedly.” 

“And that this fellow is going to molest 
me.” 

“ It looks like it.” 

“ Then I may run him through ? ” 

“ Say rather that you must.” 

“Thank you, dad. I felt sure of it, but 
this is the first time I’ve had to decide, and as 
it was a promise — you’d best get behind me, 
I think. Set your back to the arch. Now, 
sir.” 

“You are my prisoners,” the sergeant 
announced. 

“ Pardon me. Let me direct your notice to 
this weapon, which is in carte — you seem to 
have overlooked it.” 

“You are making matters worse.” 

“ That is very likely. Guard, sir, if you 
please.” 

“You mean to resist ? ” 

“ Ah, have you grasped that fact at last ? ” 


102 


TEE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


The sergeant rushed upon him and crossed 
swords. His first lunge was put aside easily, 
and he was forced to break ground. 

“ Hullo! so you can really fence!” he 
panted, feinting and aiming a furious stroke at 
Tristram’s throat. 

“Upon my word,” said Tristram, parrying 
and running him through the thigh as he re- 
covered, “ this gentleman seems astonished at 
everything ! ” 

As the sergeant dropped, Captain Barker 
darted from behind Tristram and pounced 
upon a musket which one of the soldiers had 
abandoned when first assailed by the bees. 

“This gets serious,” he muttered. “ Those 
fellows yonder are fixing bayonets.” 

Indeed some half-dozen of the red-coats had 
already done so, and surrender seemed but a 
matter of a few seconds only. 

“Give me the musket,” said Tristram 
placidly, “and take the sword. My arm is 
longer than yours. Now get behind my 
shoulder again. Don’t expose yourself, but if 
one of these fellows slips under my guard, I 
leave him to you.” 

“Good boy ! ” murmured the little man, ex- 


A SWARM OF BEES \ 


103 


changing weapons. It is a fact that tears of 
pride filled his eyes. 

“There are six of them. Excuse me, dad, 
if I ask you to look out for your head. I am 
going to try a moulinet .” 

The six soldiers came on in a very deter- 
mined manner, each man presenting his bay- 
onet at Tristram’s chest. They had little 
doubt of his instant submission, and were con- 
siderably surprised when Tristram, lifting the 
musket by its barrel, began to whirl it around 
his head with the fury of a maniac. The fore- 
most, as the butt whizzed by his cheek, drew 
back a pace. 

“Run the rebels through,” cursed the oflicer 
behind them. 

The leader shortenedhis grasp on his bay- 
onet and watching his opportunity dashed 
under Tristram’s arm. At the same instant 
Captain Barker popped out, and with a quiet 
pass spitted him clean through the right lung. 

“All together, you sons of dogs!” yelled 
the sergeant, who had dragged himself to a 
little distance and was staunching the flow of 
blood from his wounded thigh. 

Two of the soldiers heard the advice and 


104 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS . 


came on together with a rush. The first of 
them caught the full swing of Tristram’s 
musket on the side of his stiff cap and went 
down like an ox. The second took Captain 
Barker’s sword through the left arm and 
dropped his bayonet. But before either Tris- 
tram or the Captain could disengage his 
weapon the other three assailants were upon 
them, and the fight was over. 

4 ‘ Surrender ! ” cried one, holding his point 
against Tristram’s chest. 

“Must I?” the latter enquired, turning to 
Captain Barker. 

“H’m, there seems to be no choice.” 

“And you also, sir.” 

“Certainly. Here is my sword: it belongs 
to your captain yonder, whom you may 
recognize by his uniform. Assure him, with 
my compliments ” 

He was interrupted by the clatter of hoofs, 
and two gentlemen on horseback came canter- 
ing up the road and drew rein suddenly. 

“Hey; what have we here?” demanded a 
foreign voice. 

The soldiers turned and presented arms in a 
flurry. The taller of the two horsemen was 


A 8 WARM OF BEES. 


105 


an extremely handsome cavalier in a nut- 
brown peruque and scarlet riding-suit on 
which several orders glistened. He bestrode a 
black charger of remarkable size and beauty, 
and seemed, by his stature and presence, to 
domineer over his companion, a small man 
with a hooked nose and an extremely emaci- 
ated face, who wore a plain habit of dark 
purple, and rode a sorrel blood-mare of no 
special points. Nevertheless it was this little 
man who had spoken, and at the sound of his 
voice a whisper ran through the crowd : 

“ The King ! ” 

It was, in fact, his Majesty King William 
the Third who, tired of the slow jolting of the 
royal coach along the abominable road of that 
period, had exchanged that equipage for his 
favorite mare and cantered ahead of his escort, 
refreshing his senses in the strong breeze that 
swept from seaward across the level country. 

“ Sir, will you be good enough to explain V 9 
he demanded again, addressing the unfortu- 
nate officer, who had picked himself up from 
the road and stood covered with shame and 
swellings. 

“ Your Majesty, the two prisoners here 


106 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


were engaged in obstructing your Majesty’s 
highroad.” 

“ They seem to be still doing so.” 

“And knowing that your Majesty was 
shortly expected to pass, I proceeded to 
remove them.” 

“ But what is this ? A company of my foot- 
guards in confusion ! One — two — three — four 
of them wounded — if, indeed, one of them is 
not killed outright ! Do you tell me that this 
old man and this boy have done it all, besides 
bruising the faces of a dozen more ? ” 

“ They and a swarm of cursed bees, your 
Majesty.” 

“ This is incredible ! Bees ? ” 

“Yes, your Majesty,” put in Captain Bar- 
ker, “he is telling you the truth. You see it 
happened that my bees swarmed this afternoon 
and had no better taste than to alight on this 
arch, under which your Majesty was shortly 
expected to pass. We were about to hive 
them when this young gentleman came along 
at the head of his company, and there arose a 
discussion at the end of which I hived him in- 
stead.” 

“ But these wounded men ” 


A SWARM OF BEES. 


107 


u Ah, your Majesty, it was unfortunate ; but 
one can never tell where these discussions will 
end.” 

“ Three of my men and a sergeant placed 
hors de combat , and a dozen more unfit to be 
seen ; an officer dismounted and his whole com- 
pany scattered like a flock of geese ! I am 
seriously annoyed, sir. What is your 
name?” 

“ Sire, I am called Captain Barker, and was 
formerly an officer in the fleet of his late 
Majesty, King Charles the Second.” 

“ Barker — Barker, I seem to remember your 
name. Captain John Barker, are you not?” 

“That is so.” 

“ Sometime in command of the Wasp 
frigate ? ’ ’ 

“ Your Majesty has a perfect recollection of 
his most insignificant enemies.” 

King William bit his lip. 

“My memory isf good, Captain Barker, as 
you say. Why did you quit the service ? ” 

“ For private reasons.” 

“Come, sir ; you were, if I remember right, 
a gallant commander. With such, their coun- 
try’s service stands above private reasons. Of 


108 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


late, your country’s claim lias been urgent upon 
all brave men, and, by the havoc I see around, 
you are not past warfare.” 

“ Well, but ” 

“ Speak out.” 

“Sire, all my life I have fought against 
Dutchmen.” 

“You found them worthy foes, I expect.” 

“ In all respects.” 

“ Would they be less worthy allies?” 

“Not at all. But consider, sire, the habits 
of a lifetime. From boyhood I never met a 
Dutchman whom it was not my duty to knock 
down. To-day, if I sailed in an English ship 
of war, what should I find? Dutchmen all 
around me. Your Majesty, I cannot speak the 
Dutch language except with a cutlass. I dis- 
trust my habits. They would infallibly lead 
to confusion. In the heat of action, for in- 
stance ” 

The little man stopped abruptly. It seemed 
that his speech gave uncommon pleasure to the 
tall gentleman on the black charger, whose face 
twisted with a barely perceptible smile. King 
William, on the other hand, was frowning 
heavily. 


A SWARM OF BEES. 


109 


“Sir,” he said, “your tongue runs danger- 
ously near sedition.” 

“Iam sorry your Majesty thinks so.” 

“ You are also very foolish. I find you in- 
curring my just anger, and hint, as plainly as I 
can, at an honorable way of escape. Captain 
Barker, are you aware that your case is seri- 
ous ? ” 

“Iam, sire. Nevertheless, I decline to es- 
cape by the road you are good enough to 
leave open.” 

“ Your reasons.” 

“They are private, as I had the honor to in- 
form your Majesty.” 

“My lord,” said the king, turning irritably 
to his companion, 4 4 what shall I do to this in- 
tractable old man ? You have a voice in this, 
seeing that he has spoilt four of your favorite 
guards.” 

The tall man in scarlet bent and muttered a 
word or two in a low voice. 

“Ah, to be sure. I had forgotten the young- 
ster. Is this your son, sir \ ” 

“By adoption only.” 

“ A strapping fellow,” said his Majesty, eye- 
ing Tristram from head to foot. 


110 


THE BL TIE PA VILIONS. 


“ And as good as lie’s tall. Sire, his offense 
— if offense it be — arose from the affection he 
bears me, and from no worse cause. He would 
not willingly hurt a fly.” 

“What is he called?” 

“ Tristram.” 

“ He has a second name, I suppose ? ” 

“Tristram Salt, then, in full.” 

The man in scarlet at these words gave a 
quick, penetrating glance at the speaker, and 
for an instant seemed about to speak ; but 
closed his lips again and fell to regarding 
Tristram with interest, as King William went 
on : 

“ He ought to be in my army.” 

“Your Majesty does him much honor, 
but ” 

“But?” 

“May it please your Majesty, I had other 
intentions concerning him.” 

“My Lord of Marlborough,” said the king, 
turning coldly from the little man and point- 
ing with his gloved hand toward Tristram, 
“allow me to present you with a recruit.” 

Captain Barker’s face was twisted with a 
spasm of fury. But as he stammered for 


A SWARM OF BEES. 


Ill 


words another voice was lifted and Captain 
Runacles came through the crowd. He had 
been fetched from his laboratory by Mr. 
Swiggs, and had arrived on the scene in 
time to hear the last sentence. 

“ Your Majesty ! listen to me ! ” 

King William was turning calmly to ride 
back to his escort. But at sight of the in- 
truder’s commanding and venerable figure 
he checked his mare. 

“ Pray, sir, who are you % And what have 
you to say \ ” 

“ I am Jeremy Runacles, and the lad’s guar- 
dian.” 

“ He is peculiarly unfortunate in the loyalty 
of his protectors.” 

“ Sire, I have served my country in times 
past.” 

“I know it, Captain Runacles. But it 
seems that you, too, fight only against the 
Dutch.” 

“ Your Majesty has, it appears, done me the 
honor to study my poor record.” 

“ My word, sir ! Does that surprise you ?” 

“No, sire ; it reassures me. For you must 
be aware that I am no rebel.” 


112 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“H’m.” 

“Though, to be sure, I cannot help my 
tastes.’’ 

“You may suffer for them, none the less.” 

“I am ready to pay for them. Since your 
Majesty has taken a fancy to this young man.” 

“Who, by the way, has maltreated a whole 
company of my guards.” 

“ Permit me, as his guardian, to ransom him. 
He has large estates.” 

“You forget, sir,” exclaimed the king 
haughtily, “that I am punishing him. Do 
you entertain the idea of bribing me?” 

“ I forget nothing, sire. I even remember 
that this is England and not Holland.” 

“My Lord,” said William, turning to the 
Earl of Marlborough, “ I pray you dispose of 
the recruit as you think fit. Have him re- 
moved, and have the high road cleared of these 
rebels, for I see my escort down the road.” 

And touching the sorrel with his heel, his 
Majesty cantered back to meet the approach- 
ing cavalcade. 


CHAPTER VI. 

THE EARL OF MARLBOROUGH SEEKS RECRUITS. 

Night had fallen. It was past eight o’clock 
and Captain John and Captain Jemmy sat 
facing each other, one on each side of the fire- 
place in Captain John’s library. They were in 
complete darkness — for the red glow of to- 
bacco in the pipe which Captain Jemmy puffed 
dejectedly could hardly be called a light. 
For half an hour no word had been spoken, 
when somebody tapped at the door. 

“ What is it? ” asked Captain Barker. 

“ A gentleman to see you,” answered the 
voice of Mr. Swiggs. 

“ What’s his name ? ” 

“He won’t say.” 

“ Tell him I am busy to-night.” 

Narcissus withdrew, and knocked again a 
minute later. 

“He says he must see you.” 

“Have you turned him out?” 

“I told him you were busy with Captain 

113 


114 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


Jemmy. ‘Who’s Captain Jemmy?’ he asks. 

4 Captain Jemmy Runacles,’ I answers. ‘ All 
the better,’ says he.” 

“ Excuse me,” said a voice at the door, “ but 
my business concerns both of you gentlemen. 
Also it concerns Tristram Salt.” 

“Narcissus, bring a couple of candles.” 

While Mr. Swiggs was executing this order, 
an oppressive silence tilled the room. The 
stranger’s dark shadow rested motionless by 
the doorway. Above the breathing of the 
three men could only be heard the far-off 
sound of Harwich bells still ringing their wel- 
come to King William. 

When the candles were brought in and Nar- 
cissus had retired again after closing the shut- 
ters, the stranger removed the broad-brimmed 
hat and heavy cloak which he had worn till 
that moment, and tossed them negligently on 
the table before him. It was the scarlet- coated 
cavalier who had ridden beside the king that 
afternoon. 

“ The Earl of Marlborough ! ” 

“The same, sirs ; and your servant.” 

“Be kind enough, my Lord, to state the 
message you bring from your master, and 


THE EARL SEEKS RECRUITS. 


115 


to leave this house as soon as it is de- 
livered.” 

To Captain Barker’s astonishment the earl 
showed no sign of resenting this speech. 

“You are wrong,” he answered quietly; 
u William of Orange is not my master. If I 
mistake not, you and I, gentlemen, acknow- 
ledge but one sovereign ruler, King James.” 

At these bold words, uttered in the calmest 
voice, the two captains caught their breath and 
stared at each other. Captain Kunacles was 
the first to recover. He laughed incred- 
ulously. 

“Your lordship appears to have forgotten 
Salisbury.” 

Any other man would have winced at this 
taunt. But the Earl of Marlborough met it 
with the face of a statue. 

“Captain Hunacles, I have neither forgotten 
it nor am likely to. The remembrance of that 
affair has followed me night and day. I can- 
not — even now that I am pardoned — rid myself 
of its horror. I cannot eat ; I cannot sleep. I 
see my crime in its true light, and am appalled 
by its enormity. And yet — God help me ! — I 
thought at the time I was saving my country. 


116 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


Gentlemen, yon, who have faced no such re- 
sponsibility as then confronted me, will be apt 
to judge me without mercy. I know not if I 
can persuade you that my remorse is honest. 
But consider: here am I, at William’s right 
hand, already rich and powerful, and possess- 
ing limitless prospects of increased power and 
riches. Yet I am ready to sacrifice everything, 
to bring utter ruin on my fortunes, if only I 
can rid myself of this nightmare of shame. Is 
this the attitude of insincerity ?” 

“Upon my word, my Lord, I’d give some- 
thing to know why the devil you tell all this to 
us.” 

“I hardly know, myself,” answered the 
earl, sighing deeply, but still without a grain 
of expression on his handsome face. “A man 
haunted as I am can hardly account for all 
his utterances. I have come to do you a ser- 
vice ; and having done it, I might have with- 
drawn without a word. But the sight of you 
recalled the honest words you spoke to the 
usurper this afternoon. Sirs, I envied you 
then ; and just now an insane longing took 
hold of me to set myself right with two such 
inflexible friends of King James.” 


THE EARL SEEKS RECRUITS. 117 

“ Would it not be more to the point if you 
first obtained pardon from King James him- 
self?” 

“I have done so.” 

“ Well, my lord, I cannot yet see what your 
affairs have to do with us. But if it will give 
you any pleasure that we should believe these 
remarkable statements ” 

“ I have assured you that it will.” 

“ Then perhaps you will produce some proof 
of them in black and white.” 

The earl drew a folded paper from his breast 
and spread it upon the table before them. It 
was an affectionate letter of pardon, dated a 
month back, from the court of Saint Germains, 
written throughout and signed by the hand of 
King James himself. 

“ Thank you, my Lord. When his Majesty 
writes thus, it is not for his subjects to bear 
rancor. Will you kindly state your immedi- 
ate business?” 

“It concerns the young man Tristram Salt. 
You desire that he should be restored to 
you ? ” 

“My Lord,” said Captain Barker, “that 
young man is more to me than many sons.” 


118 


THE BL TIE PA VIL10NS. 


“You are indignant at tlie recollection of 
this afternoon? ” 

“ What has that to do with it ? ” 

“ Much. But let me continue. Your 
adopted son, Captain Barker, is at this mo- 
ment lying in the hold of his Majesty’s ship 
the Good Intent . He is in irons.” 

“ In irons ! ” 

“ Yes, sir. He has undoubtedly imbibed 
your opinions with regard to the Dutch ; for 
he began his military career by blacking the 
eyes of a gentleman of that nation who, as ill 
luck will have it, is his superior officer.” 

“ The devil ! ” 

“To-morrow morning he will receive six 
dozen lashes, perhaps more. I take the most 
cheerful view in order to spare your feelings ; 
but most decidedly it will be six dozen, 
unless ” 

“Unless — what ? ” 

“ Unless I remit the sentence. The young 
man, you understand, was placed under my 
care.” 

“ My Lord, you will pardon him ? ” 

“With pleasure. Hay, I will restore him to 
you this very night ” 


THE EARL SEEKS RECRUITS. 


119 


Captain Barker leapt up from his seat in a 
transport of gratitude, and would have caught 
the earl’s hand had not his friend dragged 
him back by the coat-tails. 

“ on conditions,” his lordship concluded. 

“Name them.” 

“In a moment. We are agreed, I believe, 
that to blacken a Dutchman’s eye is no great 
sin. There are too many Dutchmen around 
his Majesty — as you, sirs, had the courage to 
inform his Majesty this afternoon.” 

“ Did we say that 3 ” 

“I understood you to hint it, at any rate. 
I assure you that I am never so much disposed 
to regret my change of allegiance on that 
November night at Salisbury as when I look 
around and see how little my own countrymen 
have profited by that action.” 

“A while ago,” interposed Captain Runa- 
cles sharply, “it was the crime itself that 
pursued you with remorse.” 

“ The results, sir, have helped me to see the 
crime in its proper light.” 

“My Lord, I have the deepest respect for 
your genius ; but at the same time it appears 
to me that you lack something.” 


120 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“Indeed ? It would be a kindness to point 
out in what respect ” 

“Let me call it — a gift. But I interrupt 
you.” 

“ To proceed, then, we are at one on the 
question of these Dutchmen ; at one, also, on 
the question of William’s high-handed action 
this afternoon. Let me propose a plan by 
which you can effectively mark your disgust 
at both, while at the same time you recover 
the young man on whom you set so much 
store. Gentlemen, you are not past serving 
your country on the seas.” 

“King William hinted as much to-day,” 
replied Captain Barker ; ‘ ‘ and I gave him my 
answer.” 

“ I appeal to you not in the name of King 
William but in the name of your true sover- 
eign, King James.” 

“That is another matter, I’ 11 admit. W ould 
you mind putting the question definitely \ ” 

“I must have your word to regard what I 
am about to say as a secret.” 

“If it does not bind us in any way.” 

“It does not. You are free to accept or 
reject my offer.” 


THE EARL SEEKS RECRUITS. 


121 


“We promise then.” 

“Listen. I am in a position to offer each 
of yon the command of one of his Majesty’s 
ships.” 

“As a condition of getting back Tristram to- 
night?” 

The earl nodded. 

“ But, excuse me ” 

“Ah, I know what you will say. It is a sac- 
rifice of your leisure. I admit it ; but from 
certain expressions of yours this afternoon, I 
gathered that your love for this lad might over- 
come your natural disinclination.” 

“You mistake. I was about to say that this 
offer of yours strikes us as rather barren. At 
least it might have been kept until King James 
is restored to his country. In that event, he 
may very well prefer to give his commands to 
younger men ; but in any case he will find us 
obedient to his royal wish.” 

“That is a very loyal attitude. But, as it 
happens, you would be required to enter into 
your commands before his Majesty’s restora- 
tion.” 

“ Explain yourself, my Lord.” 

“I am not in a position to speak with an- 


122 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


thority or exactness of the events which will 
shortly take place in the British fleet. I am 
a mere soldier, yon understand. But let ns 
suppose a case. King William sails early to- 
morrow with Rear-Admiral Rooke’s squadron 
for the Maese. Let us suppose that no sooner 
is his Majesty landed at The Hague and safe in 
his own beloved realm, than our gallant English 
sailors display a just distaste for their Dutch 
commanders by setting those commanders 
ashore and running — let us say — for Calais, 
where their true sovereign waits to be con- 
veyed across to the country which his rival 
has quitted. Obviously, for this purpose, 
the fleet would need, on the spot, capable 
officers to step into the shoes of the deposed 
Dutchmen.’ 5 

“ You propose that Jack and I shall be two 
of these officers?” asked Captain Runacles 
slowly, with a glance at his comrade. 

“ I think it advisable that you should be at 
The Hague. You understand that I merely 
sketch out a possible course of events.” 

“ Of course. Do you think it likely that the 
British squadron — supposing it to behave as 
you say — would receive support at Calais?” 


TEE EARL SEEKS RECRUITS. 


123 


“ I fancy it might find a large squadron of 
his French Majesty’s fleet waiting there to co- 
operate.” 

44 And the army ? ” 

4 4 It is possible that events might happen 
about that time among our regiments in Flan- 
ders.” 

44 That, in other words, they would desert to 
King Lewis? ” 

44 You put it crudely, Captain Runacles. I 
believe that our gallant soldiers will act with a 
single eye to their country’ s welfare ; and I am 
sure they will do nothing that can be construed 
as a blot upon their country’s flag.” 

4 4 1, also, am tolerably certain of that, 
my Lord,” answered Captain Jemmy drily. 

4 4 Come, Jack — your answer.” 

The little hunchback had been leaning back, 
during the last minute or two, with his face in 
the shadow ; but at these words he bent for- 
ward. His cheeks were white and drawn. 

44 Why must /give the answer, Jemmy?” 

44 Because this lad is your son. It rests with 
you to save him or not.” 

Captain Barker stood up. 

44 You’ll abide by my decision? ” 


124 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“Certainly.” Captain Runacles crossed bis 
legs and took snuff deliberately. 

“Then,” said the little man, dragging out 
the words syllable by syllable, “there, m;y 
Lord, are your hat and cloak. Oblige me by 
quitting this house of mine at once.” 

“ God bless you, Jack ! ” muttered his friend. 

The earl’s brow did not even flush at the re- 
buff. Throughout his career this extraordi- 
nary man was able to overlook the contempt of 
others as easily as he disregarded their suffer- 
ings. Probably, as Captain Bunacles had said, 
he lacked a gift. 

On this occasion he picked up his hat and 
cloak without a trace of discomposure. 

“I understand you to refuse my offer,” he 
said. 

“Yes.” 

“You prefer that the young man should re- 
ceive six dozen lashes to-morrow morning? ” 

Captain Barker winced, and his mouth con- 
tracted painfully. 

“My Lord, I took that boy from his dead 
mother when he was a few hours old. Never 
in his life has a hand been laid upon him in 
anger ; he will hardly understand what it 


THE EARL SEEKS RECRUITS. 


125 


means. But lie has been taught to know honor, 
and to cherish it. I choose as he would choose 
were he here.” 

“ Are you going, my Lord ? ” added Captain 
Jemmy ; “ you have your answer.” 

“Not quite yet, I fancy. Captain Barker, 
you told me you took this lad from his dead 
mother. She was a Mistress Salt, I believe.” 

“ Excuse me if I fail to see ” 

“ You will see in a moment. I am not wrong, 
perhaps, in supposing that lady to have been 
the wife of Roderick Salt, sometime my com- 
rade in the foot-guards. He married in Har- 
wich, I remember ; and in many respects the 
resemblance which this lad bears to him is 
remarkable.” 

“ There is no likeness in their character, my 
Lord.” 

“I dare say not ; indeed, I hope not. But 
suppose now I inform you that Roderick Salt 
is still alive ” 

The earl broke off and looked at the two 
captains narrowly. 

“ Did you know that ? ” he asked. 

There was no answer. 

“ I seem to remember an expression which 


126 


THE BL UE PA VI LION'S. 


you, Captain Runacles, let fall this afternoon, 
You told his Majesty that Tristram Salt owned 
large estates. Is the boy’s father aware of 
this?” 

Again he paused for an answer, but none 
came. 

44 These estates are administered under trust, 
I presume. Who are the legal trustees ? ” 

“I am,” Captain Jemmy replied with a 
sudden effort. 

“ You alone ?” 

Captain Jemmy, after struggling for a mo- 
ment with the wrath in his throat, answered : 

4 4 1 refuse to say.” 

44 Well, well, the affair seems to need some 
explanation, but doubtless admits of a very 
good one. It is none of my business, and I do 
not ask you to satisfy me. But I cannot help 
thinking that Roderick Salt will be hardly 
more astonished to find that his son is a man 
of large estates than disposed to make inqui- 
ries.” 

44 What do you mean, my Lord ?” 

44 1 mean that as father and son happen at 
this moment to lie aboard the same vessel, the 
Good Intent ” 


THE EARL SEEKS RECRUITS. 


127 


The chair which Captain Barker had been 
grasping and tilting impatiently fell to the 
floor with a crash. 

“ I foresee a scene of happy recognition and 
mutual explanations. We will suppose the 
father to learn the truth before to-morrow’s 
punishment is inflicted. We will picture his 
feelings” (the earl paused and fired a shot 
more or less at a venture) “when he becomes 
aware that though by law enabled to buy his 
son off from military service, he has by chican- 
ery been rendered powerless. W e will imagine 
him an enforced spectator, wincing as each 
stroke draws blood.” 

“You will tell him?” 

“My dear sirs, I shall hate to do so. In 
proof that I speak sincerely let me say that 
my offer still remains open. May I now count 
on your accepting it ? ’’ 

“ No ! ” thundered the little man, springing 
forward in a fury. Captain Jemmy caught 
him by the arm, however, and forced him back 
to the armchair. The earl shrugged his shoul- 
ders. 

“ Truly you are a Roman parent,” said he, 
bowing ironically ; “but you will excuse me if 


128 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


I find it time to seek the lad’s natural father. 
Remember, if you please, gentlemen, your 
promise of silence.” 

He opened the door and passed quietly 
through the hall and out of the house. In the 
road at the foot of the garden a sergeant 
stepped out of the shadow and saluted him. 
The earl gave a muttered order. 

“ Where is my horse % ” he asked. 

“ A little up the road. The orderly is walk- 
ing him up and down to keep him warm.” 

The earl nodded and walked on. A hundred 
yards further he came up with them, and, 
climbing into the saddle, trotted off toward 
Harwich, the orderly at his heels. 

At the Cock and Pye stairs a boat was wait- 
ing. He dismounted, and giving his horse 
over to the orderly stepped on board and was 
rowed swiftly out toward the harbor, where 
the lights of the squadron flickered, and its 
great hulls brooded over the jet black water. 
As the boat crossed under the tilted stern and 
high, flaming lanterns of Rear-Admiral Rooke’s 
ship, the Foresight, the sentry on deck sang 
out his challenge. 

It was answered. The boat dropped along- 


THE EARL SEEKS RECRUITS. 


129 


side and the earl climbed up on deck. Turn- 
ing at the top of the ladder, he gave his boat- 
man the order to wait for half an hour, and, 
acknowledging the sentry’s salute, made his 
way aft and down the companion stairs to the 
cabin set apart for him. 

In the passage below was a second sentry, 
pacing up and down ; and by the earl’s door 
an orderly standing ready. 

“ Send Captain Salt to me. After that you 
may retire.” 

The man saluted and went off on his errand. 
The earl stepped into his cabin. The furniture 
of this narrow apartment consisted of a hang- 
ing-lamp, a chair or two, a chest heaped with 
dispatch boxes, and a swing-table upon which 
a map of the Low Countries was spread, amid 
regimental lists and reports, writing materials, 
works on fortification, official seals, and piles 
of papers not yet reduced to order. Pushing 
aside the map and a treatise by the Marechal 
de Vauban that lay, face downward, upon it, 
the earl drew a blank sheet of paper toward 
him, dipped pen in ink and after a moment’s 
consideration scribbled a sentence. Then, 
sprinkling it quickly with sand, he folded the 


130 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


paper and was about to seal it, when a light 
tap sounded on the cabin door. 

“ Come in,” said the earl quietly, holding 
the sealing-wax to the flame, and without 
troubling to turn. 

The man who stood on the threshold demands 
a somewhat particular description. 

He was tall and of an eminently graceful 
figure. The uniform which he carried — that of 
a captain in the first, or Royal, regiment of 
foot — well set off his small waist, deep chest, 
and square shoulders. His complexion was 
clear and sanguine, albeit no longer retaining 
the candor of youth ; his wig was carefully 
curled, and in color a light golden brown. 
Though, in fact, his age w T as not far short of 
fifty, he looked hardly a day older than thirty- 
five. 

In many respects his resemblance to Tristram 
was exceedingly close. The stature and pro- 
portions were Tristram’s ; the nose like Tris- 
tram’s in shape, but slightly longer ; the eyes of 
the same grayish blue, though in this case deep 
lines radiated from the outer corners. Above 
all there was a fugitive, baffling likeness, that 
belonged to no particular feature, but to all. 


THE EARL SEEKS RECRUITS. 


131 


On the other hand, the difference in expression 
between the two faces was hardly less strik- 
ing ; for whereas Tristram’s beamed a modest 
kindliness on his fellows, this face looked out 
on the world with an unshrinking audacity. 
Beside it, the Earl of Marlborough’s handsome 
countenance seemed to lack intelligence ; but 
the earl’s countenance was then, and remains 
to-day, an impenetrable mask. 

“You sent for me, my Lord?” Captain 
Salt’s voice was silvery in tone and pleasant to 
hear as running water. 

“ I did,” said the earl, pressing his seal upon 
the letter and sitting down to direct it. “You 
have the lists? ” 

The other drew a bundle of papers from his 
breast pocket and, advancing, laid them upon 
the table. The earl put the letter aside, opened 
the bundle, and ran his eye over its contents. 

“ You are sure of all these men ?” 

“ Quite.” 

“ You seem to have enough. We mustn’t 
overdo this, you understand? It wouldn’t do 
for the affair to succeed.” 

Captain Salt smiled. 

u If they carry off a vessel or two,” the earl 


132 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


went on, ‘ 4 it’s no great loss, and it will give 
Saint Germains the agreeable notion that some- 
thing is about to happen. They’ve been plagu- 
ing me again. This time it’s an urgent letter 
in my royal master’ s own hand. He calls on 
me to bring over the whole army in the very 
first action — the born fool ! Can he really 
believe I love him so dearly ? Has he really 
persuaded himself that I’ve forgotten ” 

He checked himself ; but, for the first time 
that evening, his face was suffused with a hot 
flush. For, in fact, he was thinking of his 
sister, Arabella Churchill ; and John Churchill, 
though he had made no scruple to profit by his 
sister’s shame, had never forgiven it. 

Captain Salt filled up the pause in his dulcet 
voice : 

“We want, my Lord, such a mutiny as, with- 
out succeeding, shall convince England of the 
strong dissatisfaction felt by our forces at the 
favoritism shown by his Majesty toward the 
Dutch.” 

“Salt,” said his lordship, eying him nar- 
rowly, “you are remarkably intelligent.” 

“Why, my Lord, should I conceal my 
thoughts when they tally with my honest 


THE EARL SEEKS RECRUITS. 


133 


hopes? I look around, and what do I see? 
Dutchmen filling every lucrative post ; Dutch- 
men crowding the House of Lords ; Dutchmen 
commanding our armies ; Dutchmen pocket- 
ing our fattest revenues. England is weary of 
it. I, as an Englishman, am weary of it. My 
Lord, if I dared to say it ” 

“ Would you mind looking out and observ- 
ing if the sentry is at his post ? ” 

Captain Salt stepped to the door and opened 
it. The sentry was at the far end of the pas- 
sage, engaged in his steady tramp to and fro. 

“ My Lord,” he said, closing the door softly 
and returning, “let this mutiny fail. It will 
serve its purpose if it brings home to the under- 
standing of Englishmen the iniquity of this 
plague of Dutchmen. Let that feeling ripen. 
You will return before the winter, and by that 
time you may strike boldly. Then, from your 
place in the House of Lords, you can move an 
address.” 

“ Go on,” murmured the earl, as he paused 
for a moment. 

“ An address praying that all foreigners may 
be dismissed from his Majesty’s service.” 

The earl looked up swiftly, and checked his 


134 


TEE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


fingers, which had been drumming on the 
table. 

“Decidedly you are intelligent,’ ’ he said, 
very slowly. 

“What can William do if that address is 
carried, as it may be. To yield will be to dis- 
card his dearest friends ; to resist will mean 
a national rising. He will lose his crown.” 

“ And then P’ 

“ My Lord, may it not be possible to eject 
William without restoring James f” 

“Ah!” 

“ There is the Princess Anne.” 

The earl looked into his companion’s eyes 
and read his own thoughts there. James was 
a Papist, William a Dutchman ; but the 
Princess Anne was an Englishwoman and a 
Protestant. And the earl and his countess 
held the Princess Anne under their thumbs. 
Let her succeed to the throne, and he would 
be, to all intents, King of England. Nay, 
he would hold the balance of Europe in his 
palm. 

“My friend,” he said under his breath, 
“you are too dangerous.” Aloud, he gave 
the talk a new turn. 


THE EARL SEEKS RECRUITS. 


135 


“ This mutiny will not succeed,” he ob- 
served reflectively 4 ‘The men who intend to 
rise must be informed against.” 

“ It appears so.” 

“ But not too soon. They must not succeed, 
as I said, but they must have time enough to 
show their countrymen that the discontent is 
serious, and to convince James that only an 
accident has prevented their coming over to 
him in a body.” 

“ That is clear enough.” 

“The only question,” the earl pursued, 
“is — who is to give the information at the 
proper moment % ” 

“ Undoubtedly that is a difficulty.” 

“I thought — excuse me if I come to the 
point — I thought that you might do so.” 

“My Lord!” 

“You object ? ” 

“ Decidedly I do. Already I have risked 
much in this business ” 

“I can think of nobody,” said the earl 
coldly, “ so well suited for the task. William 
thinks you are his spy and would receive your 
information without suspicion He does not 
guess that, owing to my knowledge of your 


136 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


past— of the affair of the dice at Antwerp, for 
instance, or that trivial letter from Saint Ger- 
mains which I happen to possess ” 

Captain Salt’s sanguine cheeks were by this 
time white as death. 

“If you insist ” he stammered, in a 

hoarse voice that bore no resemblance to his 
natural tone. 

“I’m afraid I must. At the same time I 
mean to reward you,” the earl continued 
pleasantly; “and a portion of the reward 
shall be paid in advance. My dear captain, 
I have the most delightful surprise for you. 
You were once a married man, and the lady 
you married was a native of this port.” 

“ Thank you, my Lord ; I was aware of the 
fact.” 

“ You left her.” 

“I did.” 

“ And in your absence she bore you a son.” 

“I have since heard a rumor to that effect,” 
said Captain Salt coldly. 

“ Cherish that son : for his worth to you is 
inestimable. He lies, at this moment, on 
board the Good Intent. I regret to say, in 
irons. His Majesty enlisted him this after- 


THE EARL SEEKS RECRUITS. 


137 


noon, somewhat against his will, and he began, 
very unluckily, by kicking his superior officer 
from one end of the frigate to the other. Ifc 
was the natural ebullition of youth, and the 
sergeant was a Dutchman. Therefore, in this 
letter, I have pardoned him. Take it — a boat 
is waiting for you — and convey it to his cap- 
tain. Thereafter seek the poor lad out and 
imprint the parental kiss upon both cheeks. 
Reveal yourself to him.’ ’ 

4 4 Your lordship is excessively kind, but I 
stand in no immediate need of filial love.” 

44 My dear sir, I promise you that this son 
means thousands in your pocket. He means 
to you a calm old age surrounded by luxuries 
which are hardly to be gained by espionage, 
however zealously practiced.” 

44 In what way, may I ask % ” 

44 1 will inform you when you have done the 
small service I asked just now.” 

Captain Salt took the letter and moved to- 
ward the door. 

44 By the way,” the earl said, 44 it may be 
painful to you to be reminded of your former 
connection with Harwich : but did you happen 
to know, in those days, two gentlemen, cap- 


138 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


tains in King Charles’s navy, and natives, I be- 
lieve, of this town — Barker and Runacles ?” 

“ I did. They were both, at one time, 
suitors for the hand of my late wife.” 

“ Indeed ? I have been trying to enlist them 
for this business of the mutiny.” 

“ They were a simple pair, I remember, and 
would serve our purpose admirably.” 

“I found them a trifle too simple. Well, I 
won’t keep you just now. Remember the help 
I expect from you ; but we will talk that over 
in a day or two. Meanwhile, keep a parent’s 
eye upon your son (he’s called Tristram), for 
through him your reward will be attained. 
Good-night.” 


CHAPTER VII. 

THE CAPTAINS MAKE A FALSE STAKT. 

It was past midnight when Captain Runa- 
cles left his friend’s pavilion and let himself 
through the little blue door to his own garden. 
The heavens were clear and starry, and he 
paused for a moment on the grass-plot, his 
hands clasped behind him, his head tilted 
back, and his eyes fixed on the Great Bear that 
hung directly overhead. 

“Poor Jack!” he muttered, shaking his 
head at the constellation, as if gently accusing 
fate. His nature had been considerably soft- 
ened by the little man’ s distress, and he had 
come away with a generous trouble in his heart. 

“ I shan’t sleep a wink to-night,” he decided, 
and went on, inconsequently : “After all, a 
girl is less anxiety than a boy. People don’t 
find it worth while to kidnap a girl and flog 
her with a cat-o’-nine tails. A turn of a die, 
and I’d have been in Jack’s shoes to-night ; 
while, as it is ” 


139 


140 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


As it was, however, he seemed hardly to en- 
joy his good fortune, for he added, still look- 
ing up : 

“ Plague seize it ! I shan’t sleep a wink — I 
know I shan’t. What a magnificent show of 
stars ! Let me see, how long is it before day- 
break ? One — two — three — five hours only. I 
won’t go to bed at all. I’ll have a turn at the 
telescope.” 

He stole into the house softly and climbed 
up the spiral staircase. A faint light shone 
out on the first landing from the half-open 
door of his work-room. He entered and 
turned up the lamp. 

Its light revealed a scene of amazing dis- 
order. The walls were covered with books and 
charts, the floor littered with manuscripts, 
mathematical instruments, huge folios piled 
higgledy-piggledy, carpenter’s tools, retorts, 
bottles of chemicals. In one corner, beside 
a door leading to his bedroom, stood a 
turning-lathe, six inches deep in sawdust and 
shavings ; in another, a human skeleton hung 
against the wall, its feet concealed by the 
model of a pumping engine. Hard by was 
nailed a rack containing a couple of antique 


A FALSE START. 


341 


swords, a walking-cane, and a large tele- 
scope. 

Captain Runacles took down this telescope 
and tucked it under his arm. Then, unhitch- 
ing a faded purple dressing-gown from a peg 
behind the door, he turned the lamp low 
again, and stepped out upon the landing. 
Here he paused for a minute and listened. 
The house was still. From the floor below 
ascended the sound of breathing, regular and 
somewhat stertorus, which proved that Simeon 
was asleep. 

He put his hand on the stair- rail and as- 
cended to the next floor, passing his daughter’s 
room on tiptoe. Above this, a flight of steps 
that was little more than a ladder led up into 
the obscurity of the attic. He climbed these 
steps and, entering a lumber room where he 
had to duck his head to avoid striking the 
sloping roof, felt his way to a shuttered 
window, with the bolt of which he fumbled 
for a moment. When at length he drew the 
shutter open a whiff of cold air streamed into 
the room, and a parallelogram of purple sky 
was visible, studded with stars and crossed by 
the bars of a little round balcony. 


142 


TEE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


Captain Punacles stepped out upon this bal- 
cony. He had constructed it two years before, 
and it ran completely round the roof. Under 
his feet he heard the pigeons murmuring in 
their cote. Below was spread the dim grass- 
plots and flower-beds of his garden; and, far 
upon his right, the misty leagues of the North 
Sea. Full in front of him, over Harwich town, 
hung the dainty constellation of Cassiopeia’s 
Chair, and all around the vast army of heaven 
moved, silent and radiant. One seemed to 
hear its breathing, up there, across the deep 
calm of the firmament. 

He turned to the western horizon, to the spot 
where the Pleiades had just set for the sum- 
mer months, and, lifting his glass, moved it 
slowly up toward Capella and the Kids, thence 
on to Perseus and that most gorgeous tract of 
the Milky Way which lies thereby. Now, in 
the Sword-handle of Perseus, as it is called, 
are set two clusters of gems, by trying to count 
which the captain had, before now, amused 
himself for hours together. He was about to 
make another attempt and, in fact, had 
reached fifty-six, when he felt a light touch 
on his elbow. 


A FALSE START. 


143 


He faced quickly round. Behind him, on 
the balcony, stood his daughter. 

“ Don’t be angry,” she entreated, in a whis- 
per. “I heard you come up. I couldn’t 
sleep— and ” 

He looked at her sternly. Her feet were 
bare, and she wore but a dark cloak over her 
night rail. In the years since we last saw her 
she had grown from an awkward girl into a 
lovely woman. Thick waves of dark hair, 
disarranged with much tossing on her pillow, 
fell upon her shoulders and straggled over the 
lace upon her bosom. The face they framed 
was pale in the starlight ; but the lips were 
red, and the black eyes almost feverishly 
bright. 

“Father,” she went on, “I have something 
I must tell you.” 

Then, as he continued to regard her with 
displeasure, she broke off and put the question 
that, in all her trouble, was uppermost. 

“ What has become of Tristram ? ” 

“ He has gone to make the campaign against 
the French. He was enlisted to-day. It was 
unexpected,” her father answered slowly, with 
his eyes fixed on hers. 


144 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS . 


“He went unwillingly,” she said, speaking 
in a quick whisper ; “lie was dragged off — tre- 
panned. Simeon told me about it, and be- 
sides — I know ” 

“ What do you know ? ” 

“I know he never went willingly. Oh, 
father, listen,” — with a swift and pretty im- 
pulse she stepped forward and reaching up her 
clasped hands, laid them on his shoulder, 
“Tristram — Tristram is very fond of me.” 

“ Good Lord ! ” 

Captain Jemmy raised a hand to disengage 
her grasp from his shoulder, but let it fall 
again. 

“He told me so this morning at sunrise,” 
she went on rapidly. “You see, it was May- 
morning, and I went out to gather the dew, 
and he was there, in the garden, already, and 
he said — well, he said what I told you ; and 

being so masterful ” 

“I can’t say I’ve observed that quality in 
the young man ; but no doubt you’ve had 
better opportunities of judging.” 

“You shan’t talk like that ! ” she broke out 
almost fiercely. It was curious that this girl 
who, until this moment, had always trembled 


A FALSE START. 


145 


before her father, now began to dominate him 
by the very force of her passion. 

“Oh, I mustn’t — eh? Confusion take the 
fellow ! He tumbles out of one mess into 
another, and plays skittles with my peace of 
mind, and in return I’m not allowed a word ! ” 

“Father, you will fetch him back ? ” 

“ Now, how the devil ” 

“But you must.” 

“ Indeed ! ” 

“ Because I love him dearly — there ! I have 

nobody but you, father ” She knelt and 

caught his hand, exchanging audacity for en- 
treaty in a second. 

“Little maid,” said her father, with a ten- 
derness as sudden, “get up — your feet must be 
cold as ice on these slates. Go in, and go to 
bed.” 

“Let me stay a little. I can’t sleep indoors, 
I was so happy this morning and to-night the 
trouble is so heavy ” 

Captain Jemmy vanished into the lumber 
room for a moment, and reappeared, tugging 
an old mattress after him and bearing a tat- 
tered window curtain under his left arm. He 
spread the mattress on the balcony, motioned 


146 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


his daughter to sit, and wrapped her feet 
warmly in his purple dressing-gown. Then, 
as she lay back, he spread the curtain over her, 
tucking it close round her young body. She 
thanked him with dim eyes. 

4 4 Sophia,” he began, with much severity, 
44 you say you have only your old father in the 
world ; and I’m bound to say you seem to find 
it little enough. Sophia, are you aware that 
you’ve just been disappointing my dearest 
hopes ? ” 

44 Don’t say that ! ” 

44 Perdition ! I begin to think I mustn’t say 
anything. I have brought you up carefully, 
instructing you in all polite learning and even 
in some of the abstruser sciences. I have 
meant you all along to be the ornament of 
your sex, and now, the deuce take it ! — you pre- 
fer, after all, to be an ornament of the other ! 
I intended you, by your accomplishments, to 
make that young man look foolish, and ” 

44 And I assure you, father dear, he did 
look foolish this morning, and again this 
afternoon, in the summer-house.” 

4 4 Now upon my soul, Sophia! I call your 
attention to the fact I’ve been suspecting ever 


A FALSE START. 


147 


since you began to speak, that you’re at 
tile bottom of all to-day’s mischief. If 
that unfortunate youth hadn’t been mak- 
ing love to you when he should have been 
attending to the bees, the chances are they 
would never have taken it into their heads to 
swarm upon that accursed arch, and conse- 
quently •” 

There was nothing Captain Runacles en- 
joyed so thoroughly as to discover the connec- 
tion between effects and their causes. When 
such a chance offered, it was a common experi- 
ence with him to stray into prolixity. But he 
was pained and surprised, nevertheless, after 
twenty minutes discourse (in which he proved 
Sophia, and Sophia alone, to be responsible 
for the disaster of the day), to find that she 
had dropped off to sleep. He looked down, 
for a minute or so, upon her closed lids ; then 
moved to the rail of the balcony and ejacu- 
lated, under his breath : 

“ O woman, woman ! Wise art thou as the 
average dove, and about as harmless as the 
serpent ! ” 

He considered the heavens for some mo- 
ments and added, with some tartness, but with 


148 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


a far-off look in his eyes, as though he apos- 
trophized the late Mrs. Runacles : 

“Her charm, at any rate, is not derived 
from her mother.’ ’ 

He turned abruptly and considered her as 
she slept under the stars. Stooping, after a 
minute or two, he lifted her very gently and 
bore her into the house and down to her own 
room. As they descended the ladder from 
the attic, she stirred and opened her eyes 
drowsily. 

“ You will bring Tristram back? ” she mur- 
mured, but so softly that he had to bend his 
head to catch the syllables. 

Her eyes closed again before he could 
answer. He carried her to her bed and laid 
her upon it : then, after waiting a while to 
assure himself that she was fast asleep, he 
retraced his steps softly to the little balcony. 

He was pacing it round and round, like a 
caged beast, when the stars grew faint and the 
silver ripple of the day-spring broke over the 
sea. For two hours and more he had been 
thinking hard, and he rested his elbows on the 
balcony and paused for a minute or two to 
watch the red ball of the sun as it heaved 


A FALSE START. 


149 


above the waters. To the north, beyond the 
roofs of Harwich, he saw the lights of the 
royal squadron still clear in the gray dawn. 
Next, his gaze turned to the triumphal arch in 
the road below, which wore a peculiarly dissi- 
pated look at this hour. Then it strayed back 
to the garden below him and beyond the party 
hedge ; and was suddenly arrested. 

On a rustic seat, in the far corner, sat Cap- 
tain Barker, trying to read in a book. 

The little man, too, had obviously passed 
the night out of his bed. His clothes were 
disheveled and his attitude was one of ex- 
treme dejection. He kept his head bowed 
over the book and was wholly unaware of the 
eyes that watched him from the opposite 
pavilion. 

But his friend above, on the balcony, dis- 
played the most nervous apprehension of 
being seen. He took his hand from the rail, 
as if fearful of making the slightest sound, and 
stole back through the window, into the lum- 
ber-room. Once within the house, however, 
he behaved with the briskest determination. 
Descending, first of all, to his own room, he 
washed his face and toweled it till it glowed. 


150 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


Then, changing his coat and wig, he took np 
hat and cane, descended to the front door, and, 
crossing the grass-plot, let himself into Cap- 
tain Barker’s garden. 

Captain Barker still sat and read in his 
book ; and as he read the tears coursed down 
his wrinkled cheeks. For it was the first of 
the famous green volumes. 

He looked up as his friend advanced ; and 
Captain Jemmy was forced to regard the 
weathercock on the roof for a minute or so to 
make sure of the quarter in which the wind lay. 

“ It’s sou’ west,” said Captain John, as he 
stared up ; “and it’s ebb tide till nine o’clock. 
They’ll sail early.” 

“H’m; I shouldn’t wonder. You’re early 
out of bed.” 

“Well, for the matter of that, so are you — 
eh?” 

“I haven’t been to bed.” 

“Nor have I.” 

“I’ve been thinking,” said Captain Run- 
acles. 

“And I’ve been trying not to think.” 

“Well, but I’ve come to a conclusion. Go 
and get your hat, Jack.” 


A FALSE START. 


151 


“ Why?” 

“We’ve got to fetch Tristram back.” 

“How?” 

“ By tossing onr consciences over the hedge 
and going to see King William.” 

The little man shook his head. 

“No, Jemmy. You mean it kindly, and 
God bless you ! but I can’t do it.” 

“ Why not? If 1 can do it ” 

“You’d upset it, Jemmy. You’re letting 
your love for me carry you too far.” 

“ What put it into your head that I’d do 
this for love of you?” 

“For Tristram, then.” 

“ Damn Tristram ! That youngster strikes 
me as causing a fuss quite out of proportion to 
his intrinsic worth.” 

“ Well, but ” 

“ My dear Jack, I have reasons for wishing 
Tristram back. You needn’t ask what they 
are, because I shan’t tell you ; but they’re at 
least as intelligible as all the reasons you can 
find in that volume.” He caught it out of his 
friend’s hand and read : “June 12. T. to-day 
refused Ms biscuit and milk at six in the 
morning , but took it an hour later. Peevish 


152 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


all night; in part (I think) because not yet 
recovered of his weaning , and also because his 
teeth {second pair on lower jaw) are troubling 
him. Query , if the biscuit should be boiled 
in the milk , or milk merely poured over 

biscuit ” Here lie glanced up, and seeing 

the agony on the hunchback’s face handed 
back the book. 

“ I beg your pardon, Jack. But get your 
hat and come along.” 

“You forget, Jemmy. We gave our word, 
you know.” 

Captain Runacles stared. 

“ Trouble has unhinged your wits, my friend. 
Did you seriously imagine I intended to dis- 
close to his Majesty the proposal we heard last 
night ? ’ ’ 

“ What, then ? ” 

“My notion was that we should go and 
offer him our swords and our service in ransom 
for Tristram. He may rebuff us. On the 
other hand, there’s a chance that he will not. 
You remember that he began, yesterday, by 
offering you this way of escape. You are to 
take me with you and beg for a renewal of that 
offer. Maybe he’ll demur. You’ll then point 


A FALSE START. 


153 


out that you have two men’s service to tender 
him in lieu of one. I have smelt powder in my 
time, Jack, and I once had the luck to run De 
Buy ter’ s pet captain through the sword-arm 
and to carry his ship. It’s the very devil that 
I never could muster the fellow’s Dutch name 
sufficiently to remember it ; but his Majesty 
(who has a greater grasp of his mother-tongue) 
may be able to recall it, and the recollection 
may turn the scale. Anyhow, we’ll try.” 

“ You can serve this William? ” 

“I can ; for the matter stands thus: We 
go and say, 4 Your Majesty has laid hands on 
a young man. Will ifc please your Majesty to 
take two old men in exchange ? ’ We’re a 
couple of old hulks, Jack, but we may serve 
as well as a youngster to be battered by the 
French.” 

44 But suppose that this plot breaks out — I 
mean that which the earl hinted at ? ” 

44 My friend, that villain’s proposal may be 
divided into two parts. The first is mutiny ; 
the second is desertion to the French. How 
do you like them ? Could you stand by and 
help either?” 

44 Why, no,” answered Captain Barker, with 


154 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


a brightening face; “ because, after all, one 
could always die first.” 

“To be sure. Make haste, then, and fetch 
your hat, or we shall be too late to save the 
boy.” 

Captain Runacles waited at the foot of the 
garden, while his friend hurried into the house 
and returned in something like glee. 

“We are lucky. Narcissus tells me his 
Majesty is sleeping ashore at Thomas Lang- 
ley’s house in Church Street. It seems that 
his cabin was not put rightly in order aboard 
the Mary yacht, and he won’t embark until 
he has broken his fast.” 

“Come along then,” said Captain Jemmy, 
opening the gate; “we may catch him before 
he goes on board.” 

But scarcely had the pair set foot in the road 
outside when a voice commanded them to halt. 

In front of them, barring the highway toward 
Harwich, stood a sergeant, with half-a-dozen 
soldiers at his back. They seemed to have 
sprung out of the hedge. 

“ Pardon, gentlemen, but you are walking 
toward Harwich.” 

“ We are.” 


A FALSE START. 


155 


“ My orders are to forbid it.” 

“ Who gave you that order ? ” 

“ The general.” 

“ What ? The Earl of Marlborough ? ” 

“ Yes.” 

“ So this is how he trusts our word ! ” mut- 
tured Captain Runacles. “ But excuse me,” 
he added aloud, “our business is with his 
Majesty.” 

“ I am truly sorry, gentlemen.” 

“You decline to let us pass 2 ” 

“I hope you will not insist.” 

“ Well, but I have an idea. You can march 
us into Harwich as your prisoners. Take us 
into his Majesty’s presence ; that’s all I ask, 
and I don’t care how it’s done. You shall 
have our parole , if you please.” 

The sergeant shook his head. “It’s against 
my order.” 

“ Then we must try to pass you.” 

“Suffer me to point out that we are seven 
to two.” 

“Thank you. But this is an affair of con- 
science.” 

“Nevertheless.” 

“Confound it, sir!” broke in the hunch- 


156 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


back, “you are here, it seems, to frustrate our 
intentions, but I’m hanged if you shall criti- 
cise them too. Guard, sirs, if you please ! ” 

And whipping out their swords, these in- 
domitable old gentlemen fell with fury on 
their seven adversaries, and engaged them. 

The struggle, however, lasted but a minute. 
Six bayonets are not to be charged with a 
couple of small-swords : and just as Captain 
Barker was on the point of spitting himself, 
like an over-hasty game-chicken, the sergeant 
raised his side arm and dealt him a cut over 
the head. Hat and wig broke the blow some- 
what ; but the little man dropped with a moan 
and lay quite still in the road. 

Hearing the sound, Captain Jemmy turned, 
dropped his sword, and ran to lift his friend. 
The stroke had stunned him, and a trickle of 
blood ran from a slight scalp- wound and 
mingled with the dust. 

“Jack — Jack ! ” sobbed his friend, kneeling, 
and peering eagerly into his face. 

The hunchback opened his eyes a little and 
stared up vacantly. 

As he did so the dull roar of heavy guns 
broke out in the direction of Harwich, shaking 


A FALSE START. 


157 


the earth under Captain Jemmy’s feet. It 
was the town’s parting salute to his Majesty, 
King William the Third. And at the same 
moment the leading ship of the royal squadron 
swung out of harbor on the ebb tide, and 
rounding the Guard sandbank stood majesti- 
cally toward the open sea, her colors stream- 
ing and white canvas bellying over the blue 
waters. 


CHAPTER VIII. 

FATHER AND SON. 

Tristram, meanwhile, was lying in darkness 
on board the Good Intent , a frigate of twenty- 
six guns, converted for the nonce into a trans- 
port ship to accommodate three companies of 
his Majesty’s second household regiment, the 
Coldstreams. To this regiment the earl had 
thought fit to attach him at first, not only on 
account of his fine inches, but also to keep him 
out of his father’s way, being unwilling that 
the two should meet until he had visited the 
Blue Pavilions and endeavored to bring Cap- 
tain Barker and Captain R-unacles to terms. 

It cannot be said that his first acquaintance 
with military life had lifted Tristram’s spirits. 
The frigate — to which he had been conveyed 
without further resistance — struck him as 
smelling extremely ill, below decks ; and he was 
somewhat dashed by the small amount of room 
at his service. Moreover, the new suit into 
which he was promptly clapped, though bril- 

158 


FATHER AND SON. 


159 


liant in color, had been made for a smaller man, 
and obstructed his breathing, which would 
have been difficult enough in any case. On 
the gun-deck, where he found himself, it was 
impossible to stand upright, and equally im- 
possible to lie at length, every foot of room 
between the tiers of 9-pounders being occupied 
by kits, knapsacks, chests, and mattresses, lit- 
tered about in all conceivable disorder, and 
the intervals between them bridged by the legs 
of his brothers-in-arms. As the Coldstreams 
were an exceedingly well-grown regiment, and 
for the most part deeply absorbed, just then, 
in dicing, quarreling, chuck-penny, and dis- 
cussions on the forthcoming campaign, Tris- 
tram had found the utmost difficulty in avoid- 
ing the sheaves of legs between him and the 
empty mattress assigned him for his use. In 
his dejection of spirits it was a comfort to find 
that none of his future comrades turned a head 
to observe him. He cast himself down on the 
mattress and gave vent to a profound sigh. 

“Alas, Sophia!” he ingeminated, “how 
liable to misconception — though doubtless wise 
on the whole — are the rulings of Providence, 
which in one short hour has torn me from your 


160 


THE BL TIE PA VI LIONS. 


soft embrace to follow a calling which I foresee 
I shall detest ! ” 

Unluckily this emotion, though warranted 
by his circumstances, proved too great for the 
ready-made suit which he wore. At the first 
sigh two buttons burst from his jacket, one of 
which flew a full two feet and struck the cheek 
of a Dutch sergeant who was taking forty 
winks upon the adjacent mattress. 

“Vat the devil for?” exclaimed Sergeant 
Klomp, opening his eyes and glaring upon the 
recruit. 

“I beg your pardon,” said Tristram. 

“Zat was in fon, hey? ” 

“ On the contrary ” 

“Vat for, if not ? ” 

“ It was accidental, I assure you. I was un- 
bosoming myself.” 

“ So ; I will deach you to unbosom yourself 
of his Majesty’s buttons. Agsidental? You 
shall not be agsidental to me!” Sergeant 
Klomp rolled his eyes and picking up his cane, 
which lay beside him, rose to his feet and ad- 
vanced with menace on his face. 

Tristram hastily applied his syllogism. “ It 
is right,” he said to himself, “to resist when 


FATHER AND SON. 


161 


molested in a peaceful occupation. Sighing is 
a peaceful occupation. Therefore I must resist 
this man.” In obedience to this valid conclu- 
sion he hit Sergeant Klomp in the stomach as 
he advanced, caught the cane out of his hand, 
and belabored him the entire length of the 
gun-deck. It was impossible to do this with- 
out discommoding the legs of the company and 
annoying them beyond measure. And conse- 
quently, at the end of ten minutes, Tristram 
found himself in irons in the lazaretto, con- 
demned to pass the night with two drunken 
men whose snores were almost comforting in 
the pitchy darkness ; for (as he told himself) 
human propinquity, if not exactly sympathy, 
is the first step toward it. He had been listen- 
ing to this snoring for four hours, when a 
hatchway above him was lifted and a lantern 
shone down into the lazaretto. It was carried 
by a corporal, who came cautiously down the 
ladder, lighting the footsteps of an officer who 
followed and held a handkerchief to his nose ; 
for the smell of the bilge was overpower- 
ing. 

“ Pah ! ” exclaimed this officer, as he arrived 
at the ladder’s foot and peered around. “ Set 


162 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


the light down on the floor and leave us. What 
a hole ! ” 

He waited whilst the corporal reascended 
the ladder and disappeared ; then, picking up 
the lantern, held it aloft and let its rays shine 
full on Tristram’s face. 

44 Ah,” he said, after regarding our hero in 
silence for a few seconds, 4 4 it is unmistakable. ’ ’ 
And with that he sighed heavily. 

44 Pardon me, sir,” said Tristram, 44 but 
the sight of me appears to cause you sor- 
row.” 

44 On the contrary, it fills me with joy.” 

44 1 am glad to hear you say so ; because, as 
I am fastened here in these uncomfortable 
irons, it would have been out of my power to 
relieve you of my presence. Since you are 
glad, however ” 

44 Unspeakably.” 

44 You would do me a great favor by saying 
why.” 

“Because — look at me, dear lad — because 
you are my only son.” 

44 In that I really think you must be mis- 
taken. There are two gentlemen yonder, in 
the corner, who at present are asleep. Are 


FATHER AND SON. 


163 


you quite sure one of these is not the object of 
your search?” 

“ Quite sure, my dear lad. It is unmistaka- 
ble, as I said. You are Tristram.” 

“ I am ; though I don’t see why it should be 
unmistakable.” 

“Those eyes — that voice! It is impossible 
you should not be Margaret’s son ! ” 

“ My mother’s name was Margaret,” Tris- 
tram answered, ‘ 4 that’s true enough. She 
died when I was born.” 

“Tristram,” said his visitor, lowering the 
lantern and bowing his head, “ I was her un- 
worthy husband and your father, Roderick 
Salt.” 

“ That would certainly be plausible, but for 
one difficulty.” 

“ What is it? ” 

“My father was drowned some months be- 
fore I was born.” 

“You are mistaken. He was partially 
drowned, but not quite.” 

“ I admit that alters the case.” 

“ Shall I tell you how it happened ? ” 

“By all means, sir; for I think the story 
must be interesting. At the same time I ought 


164 


THE BL UE PA YI LIONS. 


to warn yon that I already possess a father on 
whom you can scarcely improve . 5 5 

“ To whom do you refer ? 55 

“ He is called Captain Barker by those who 
love him less than I . 55 

“Is it he, then, that has brought you up? 
Curse him ! 55 

Tristram opened his eyes. “ Why should 
you curse him ? 55 he asked. 

“Because he has stolen your love from me . 55 

“But — excuse me — it is only this moment 
that I have heard you were competing for it . 55 

“ He has told you evil concerning me . 55 

“ On the contrary, he has never uttered your 
name. It was my nurse who told me one day 
that you were drowned ; and even this turns 
out to be a mistake, as you were about to 
prove.” 

“My son, your words, your whole bearing 
and manner of speech, cut me to the heart. It 
is no less than I have deserved, perhaps ; 
though could you know all, I am sure you 
would judge me leniently. But at least I can 
give you some small proof of my love. Let me 
first release you from those irons . 55 

He set the lantern on the floor, drew a 


FATHER AND SON 


165 


small key from his pocket, and unlocked his 
son’s fetters. 

“ Thank you. That is decidedly more 
agreeable,” said Tristram, stretching his stiff- 
ened limbs. 

“You were suffering before I came ? ” 

“Why, truly,” Tristram replied, shrugging 
his shoulders as he glanced around, “I find 
military life duller than I expected. Add 
that this is the first night I have spent from 
home ” 

“ My poor boy ! Doubtless, too, you were 
brooding on what would happen to-morrow 
morning.” 

“ Say rather on what happened this morn- 
ing,” corrected Tristram, his thoughts revert- 
ing to Sophia. 

“But surely the prospect of to-morrow’s 
punishment ’ ’ 

“Oh, will there be a punishment to-mor- 
row? ” 

“ Why you kicked a sergeant from one end 
of his Majesty’s ship to the other ? Did you 
imagine you could do that with impunity?” 

“ I assure you he deserved it.” 

“ Nevertheless you would have been flogged 


166 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


on deck to-morrow had I not come with a par- 
don.” 

“ Yon astonish me ; and really yon have 
been very kind to me. Nevertheless it would 
have been entirely unjust.” 

Captain Salt regarded his son quietly for a 
moment or two. In truth, he was somewhat 
puzzled by this simplicity. 

“You wish to escape from this service ?” he 
asked. 

“ I dislike it more and more. Besides ” 

“Tell me your desires ; for, believe me, my 
son, I have no dearer wish than to further 
them.” 

Tristram held out a hand and took his 
father’s. 

“ Forgive me, sir, for my coldness just now. 
Remember that I had never seen, had scarcely 
heard of, you before. You are very good to 
me. I believe, by looking in your eyes, that 
you love me ; and I believe — I know — that in 
time I should love you greatly in return. But 
you must pardon that which I am going to say. 
Sir, I cannot help loving best those who have 
dealt lovingly with me all my life. I was 
homesick ” he broke off, as the tears 


FATHER AND SON. 


167 


sprang to his eyes and a lump rose in his 
throat. 

“You shall go home,” said Captain Salt 
gently. 

Still holding his hand, Tristram stared at 
him incredulously. 

“ Why should you doubt me, my son? Do 
you think I despise those feelings or can neg- 
lect them. No ; I honor them, though bitterly 
regretting that, as it happens, they can never 
be entertained for me ” 

“Don’t say that, my father.” 

“Why should I blink the truth ? ” Captain 
Salt turned and brushed away a fictitious tear. 
“No, Tristram, you shall go back to those 
you love better. I only ask you to be patient 
for a few days : for, indeed, I have but a cer- 
tain amount of influence with those who en- 
listed you to-day against your will. Listen : 
Early to-morrow the squadron sets sail. If 
the wind holds, we shall be within the Maese 
by Sunday morning. As soon as your regi- 
ment disembarks you shall be a free man ; for 
not till then shall I have an opportunity of 
speaking with his Majesty. The squadron will 
be returning at once to this port, and I trust 


168 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


you may return with it. In the meantime 
you must give me your word to remain where 
you are ; for though the punishmnnt is re- 
mitted, you are still under arrest. I have seen 
your captain, however, and you will find mat- 
ters made very fight for you. The sentry will 
bring you food and drink.” 

He stopped, for Tristram had fallen on one 
knee and was passionately kissing his hand. 

“ How ill you must think of me ! ” he mur- 
mured ; “and how can I thank you \ ” 

“By keeping one tender thought or two for 
a father who held aloof from you while it was 
for your good, and came to you when, for the 
first time, you wanted him. Mine has been a 
hard fife, Tristram, and not altogether a good 
one. By asking you to share it, I had done 
you Heaven knows what injury ! ” 

This was true enough ; and it struck the 
speaker as so pathetic that he managed even 
to squeeze up a tear. 

“ But come,” he went on, with a sudden 
change to vivacity; “tell me how you hap- 
pened into this scrape.” 

And so with the lantern between them, cast- 
ing long spokes of fight on the ship’s timbers, 


FATHER AND SON. 


169 


the rafters, and the two drunken sleepers in 
the corner, father and son sat and talked for 
the better part of an hour — at the end of which 
time Captain Salt, who dexterously managed 
to do nine-tenths of the listening, was pretty 
well posted in the affairs of the Blue Pavilions 
and their inmates, and knew almost as much of 
Tristram’s past history as if he had spent a 
day with the thirty-seven green volumes. It 
was past two in the morning when he arose to 
return to his own ship. 

At parting he kissed Tristram on both 
cheeks. 4 4 Farewell, dear lad,” he said, with 
a manner that was admirably paternal ; 44 we 
shall not meet again till the ships cast anchor 
in the Maese. Meanwhile steel your heart and 
look forward to a better fortune.” He picked 
up the lantern and, climbing the ladder, 
nodded back reassuringly as he lifted the 
hatch. At the same time he was secretly a 
good deal perplexed ; for in all that he had 
learnt there was nothing to throw light on the 
earl’s words. 44 Now, why the devil is the lad 
to be looked after?” he wondered. For in 
fact Tristram has said nothing of the inherit- 
ance. And the reason for this was the very 


170 


TEE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


simple one that he himself knew nothing 
about it, Captain Barker and Captain Runa- 
cles having long ago agreed to keep it a secret 
from him until he should come of age. They 
had arrived at this resolution after many 
weeks of discussion ; and beyond a doubt 
their wisdom had been justified in the course 
of the last hour. 

There was no perplexity visible, however, in 
the kindly smile which Tristram beheld and 
returned with interest. A moment after, he 
was left in blank darkness. But, being by this 
time tired out as well as greatly comforted, he 
curled himself up on the bare floor and, within 
five minutes, had dropped off into a dreamless 
sleep. 

It was morning when he awoke, though he 
could not tell the hour, for the only light that 
reached his prison was filtered through the 
hatch above, which somebody had kindly tilted 
open. The sounds that woke him were those 
of feet moving to and fro above, in the captain’s 
cabin, and, far forward in the ship, the clatter 
of boots as the soldiers turned out. He looked 
about him and made two discoveries. In the 
first place, his two drunken companions had 


FATHER AND SON. 


171 


vanished, or had been removed ; and secondly, 
their place was taken by a loaf and a tin 
pannikin. 

He reached out a hand for these, and began 
without hesitation the first meal in his life of 
which the green volumes were to keep no 
record. With less hunger, he might have 
found it nauseous ; for the bread was incredi- 
bly moldy and had been gnawed all around 
the crust by rats, while the liquor in the pan- 
nikin was a mixture of fiery rum and unclean 
water. The first gulp fetched the tears ; but, 
after sputtering a bit, he managed to swallow 
a good half of it. As he breakfasted, he heard 
a deal of muffled shouting above, and then a 
distant, clanking sound that was unfamiliar. 
The Good Intent was weighing anchor. 

These noises, however, did not trouble Tris- 
tram, who was minded by this time to bear his 
fortune with hardihood. Only the thought of 
Sophia vexed him while he ate, and he sighed 
once or twice with a violence that set the rats 
scampering. Then it struck him that his morn- 
ing prayers were unsaid ; and, scrambling on 
his knees, he committed himself to the care of 
heaven, and afterward felt still easier at heart. 


172 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


Also, being a prudent youth in some respects, 
he decided to reserve half the loaf, in case no 
more should be brought for the day ; and, 
because his hunger was excessive, it took some 
time to decide on the amount to be set aside. 
Indeed he was still discussing this with himself 
when the Good Intent shook with the roar of 
the royal salute. 

For the moment Tristram imagined that he 
must be in the midst of a sea-fight at the very 
least. But his apprehensions were perfectly 
distracted by the motions of the ship under 
him, motions which at length became erratic 
and even alarming. For the Good Intent was 
not only heaving up and down, but seemed to 
be tearing forward in a series of vehement 
rushes, with intervals of languid indecision. 
Tristram’s stomach soon began to abhor these 
intervals ; and in a little while he found him- 
self wondering to what end he had set aside 
half a loaf from his breakfast. For, as it 
seemed to him, he was going to die, and the 
sooner the better. 

“Decidedly,” he thought, “my breakfast 
was poisoned. Else I could never feel like 
this.” 


FATHER AND SON. 


173 


The Good Intent took another lurch forward, 
and a clammy sweat broke out on either side 
of his forehead. 

“If I have enemies so wicked,” sighed he, 
“ may God forgive them ! ” And uttering this 
Christian hope, he fell forward with his fore- 
head against the boards. 

A little past noon, the sentry brought him a 
fresh loaf, with a plate of fat bacon and another 
pannikin. The sea being choppy, by this time 
the vessel echoed from end to end with groans 
and lamentations. 

“ Is it a massacre % ” Tristram asked, sitting 
up and regarding the man with wild eyes. 
But the sight of the bacon, which was plenti- 
fully dosed with vinegar, conquered him afresh. 
The sentry chuckled and went away. 

To be short, our hero passed two-and-twenty 
hours in this extremity of wretchedness, and 
was only aroused, early next morning, by a 
corporal, who thrust his head in at the hatch- 
way and bade him arise and come on deck with 
all speed, as the regiment was about to disem- 
bark. And, as a matter of fact, when Tristram 
tottered up the ladder into the fresh air which 
swept the deck, he found that, though he had 


174 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


been beyond remarking any difference in the 
ship’s motion, she was now lying at anchor* 
and within a cable’s length from a desolate 
shore which began in sand-hills and ended in 
mist. 

The rain was pouring perpendicularly from 
a leaden sky and drenching the decks. The 
soldiers in their greatcoats huddled together 
as they waited for the boats and shrugged their 
shoulders to keep the drops from trickling 
down the napes of their necks. Somebody 
gave Tristram a greatcoat and knapsack, and 
pointed out the group to which he was to 
attach himself. He obeyed, though scarcely 
aware of what he did ; for his head was light, 
his hunger ravenous, and his legs trembling 
beneath him. A soldier cursed close by, and 
he cursed too, echoing the man’s words with- 
out knowing why. Another man slapped him 
on the back, mistaking him for a crony, and 
begged his pardon. “ It really makes no dif- 
ference,” said Tristram politely, and at once 
fell to wondering if this remark were absurd 
or no. Beyond the gray veils of rain he saw, 
now and then, a cluster of red roofs and a 
steeple close beside the shore. 


FATHER AND SON. 


m 


“What place is that, yonder?” he asked 
the man who stood at his elbow. 

“ Vlaardingen,” said the fellow gruffly. It 
was Sergeant Klomp, and Tristram turned it 
over in his mind whether to apologize or no 
for his assault and battery. While he was 
still debating, a brisk young officer came along 
and called out : 

“ Get ready, boys. It’s our turn next.” 

In less than a minute after, for no apparent 
reason, the crowd around Tristram surged for- 
ward to the bulwarks, and he was carried along 
with the rush. Then he found himself sway- 
ing unsteadily down a flight of steps and call- 
ing to the men behind not to hustle and precipi- 
tate him into one or other of the two longboats 
that lay below. Into the nearer of these his 
company swept him, and poured in at his heels 
until the gunwale was nearly level with the 
water. The rowers pushed off in the nick of 
time and pulled their freight slowly across the 
sullen tide, while the rain beat down relent- 
lessly. 

As they neared the shore a landing-stage, or 
low jetty, of sunken piles, disengaged itself 
from the mist. This was the sole object that 


176 


TEE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


diversified the melancholy line of sandbanks, 
and toward it they were steered, Tristram look- 
ing eagerly out under the peak of his cap, from 
which a rivulet of water was, by this time, 
coursing down his nose. 

Half-a-dozen gray figures were standing on 
the jetty, and as the soldiers scrambled up its 
dripping steps, one of them advanced and 
touched Tristram by the elbow. It was his 
father. 

“Safe and sound, my boy? Pccrbleu , but 
it’s easy to see you’re no accomplished sailor ; 
but that’s all the better.” 

Tristram was feeling too faint to contest this, 
though it appeared to him to be disputable. 

“ Let us head this mob,” his father went on. 
“Come, use your best foot — it’s no great dis- 
tance.” 

He struck off the sodden track and dived into 
the mist, Tristram following close at his heels. 
Their way lay over hillocks and hollows of 
sand in which they sank ankle-deep at every 
stride. In two minutes they lost sight of the 
regiment and were walking with their faces set, 
as it seemed, toward a wall of gray atmos- 
phere, impenetrable by the eye. After five 


FATHER AND SON 


177 


minutes of this, Tristram groaned. He had 
eaten nothing for twenty-four hours, and his 
limbs were as weak as water. 

“ Courage, my son ! A few paces more ” 

Almost as he spoke a building loomed out of 
the mist, and they found themselves before a 
doorway, over which hung the sign of The 
Four Seasons. A sentry, who stood beside 
the entrance, presented arms and let them pass. 
Captain Salt led the way indoors and up a 
rickety staircase to the right, on the first land- 
ing of which they found two pages in waiting. 

“Say that Captain Salt desires to see his 
Majesty.’’ 

One of the sentries tapped at the door, and 
having delivered the message commanded them 
to enter. The place in which Tristram now 
found himself was a low-browed room, smell- 
ing highly of sawdust and stale tobacco. It 
was bisected by a long table of clean white deal, 
at the end of which were seated three gentle- 
men whose attire bespoke a considerable estate. 
All three looked up as the pair entered ; and 
in the center our hero at once recognized his 
Majesty, with the Earl of Marlborough upon 
his left hand and upon his right hand a general 


118 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


of a plain, but shrewd and honest, countenance, 
who glanced at Captain Salt for a moment and 
resumed the writing upon which he was en- 
gaged. 

King William set down the bundle of papers 
that he had been conning with a sour expres- 
sion, as if tasting bad wine, and ordered the 
captain to come forward ; which he did, with 
a profound salute. 

“ I have examined the lists, Captain Salt. 
They tally with other information w^hich my 
admirals and gentlemen have been able to give 
me — though, as they have not your advantages, 
their knowledge is, of necessity, scantier.” 

Beneath his words there lurked a contempt 
which made the captain wince. 

“ Your Majesty, I have endeavored to do my 
duty — such as it is.” 

u You say well. The disgrace lies with 
those who make it necessary.” 

“ I am glad your Majesty should regard it 
in that light.” 

“ Rest assured that I do, and admit the mag- 
nitude of the service you have done us. I 
understand you have come for your reward.” 

“ Say rather that I have brought it.” 


FATHER AND SON. 


179 


“Explain yourself.” 

“I ask no reward, your Majesty, but the 
discharge of this young recruit.” As he spoke 
Captain Salt drew Tristram forward from the 
doorway where he was standing awkwardly. 

“This is very extraordinary. I expected 
some request for money, I will confess.” 

“ There are some things which rank above 
money,” said the captain, with feeling. 

“We are told so,” replied William dryly. 
“ But might I ask for an instance or two ?” 

“ There is paternal love. Your Majesty, 
this young man is my son.” The captain, at 
this point, brushed away a tear with the back 
of his hand. 

“Why — but surely I remember his face.” 

“ That is probable ; for you, yourself, sire, 
did him the honor to enlist him, no longer ago 
than last Friday.” 

“I remember the occasion. But it did not 
then appear — at least, to my recollection — that 
he was a son of yours, Captain Salt.” 

“ Will your Majesty be good enough to note 
the likeness between us ? ” 

“I do not doubt your word. I merely re- 
mark that the two gentlemen who then inter- 


180 


THE BL UE PA VILI0N8. 


ceded for him omitted to mention his paren- 
tage.” 

“ Their names, I believe ” 

“They were two gallant but wrong-headed 
gentlemen of his late Majesty’s navy — Captain 
John Barker and Captain Jeremiah Runacles.” 

“It is to those gentlemen, who have guarded 
him from his infancy, that I would restore this 
young man.” 

“ This is very magnanimous conduct.” 

“A father, sire, may for his son’s good dis- 
regard his own yearnings. I would, with per- 
mission, escort him back to Harwich, and 
assure myself of his happiness. Your Majesty 
need have no doubt of my return with the next 
transport.” 

“Indeed, Captain Salt, I myself should ad- 
vise you, for your own safety, to be out of the 
way until this small storm has blown over. 
Present yourself as soon as you return. Sir,” 
he continued, addressing Tristram, “you are 
discharged from my service, which, I must say, 
has not bettered your looks. Return to your 
guardians and, if they will allow you, cultivate 
some small amount of loyalty.” 

“I thank your Majesty very heartily,” 


FATHER AND SON 


181 


Tristram replied ingenuously; “and I regret 
if the plant has, until now, found no place in 
our garden.” 

“ The squadron will sail again for England 
at midnight,” said William, smiling in spite 
of himself ; then, turning to the Earl of Marl- 
borough, ‘ 4 My Lord, will you write out the 
order?” 

At this moment one of the pages entered 
with a note for the king. 

“Let him come in,” said William, after 
opening it and running his eye over the con- 
tents. Then, addressing Captain Salt, “ I fear 
this puts an end to our conversation for the 
time. If you will wait below, the necessary 
papers shall be brought to you. Farewell, 
young man, and when you embrace them, 
assure Captain Barker and Captain Runacles 
that I have still some hopes of their finding a 
better mind.” 

They bowed and withdrew, giving place to 
the newcomer, who entered at that moment — 
an old gentleman in a suit of dark blue, edged 
with silver. As he passed them in the door- 
way his eyes scanned Tristram narrowly 
and he appeared to hesitate for a moment, 


182 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


as if desirous of putting a question to tlie 
youth. 

Unconscious of this look, Tristram followed 
his father down the stairs of the auberge. 
They had hardly reached the bottom, however, 
when a voice called from the landing above, 
and the Earl of Marlborough descended after 
them. 

“Here are the papers,” he said. “But, 
young sir, would you mind waiting here for a 
minute or two while I speak with your 
father in private?” 

With this he opened a door upon the left 
and led the way through a dark passage to a 
covered skittle-alley at the back of the house. 
It was a deserted and ramshackle arcade, and 
offered the poorest cover from the rain, which 
dripped through the roof and drifted under 
the eaves. The skittles lay here and there as 
if the last player, weary of the game, had been 
tossing them about haphazard. Here the earl 
paused, looked around him, and began in a 
low voice. 

“My friend, I regret to perceive that you 
begin to act without instructions.” 

“ In what way ?” 


FATHER AND SON 


183 


“ You propose to return at once to Harwich 
with this son of yours.” 

“ Certainly, my Lord. It appears to me that 
I have deserved a holiday by this week’s 
work.” 

“You shall take one; but not at Harwich 
just yet.” 

“ And why not at Harwich ? ” 

“For two reasons. In the first place you do 
no good, but harm, in returning thither at this 
moment. Understand that I am only asking 
you to defer this visit for a week or two. At 
present I am awaiting certain necessary infor- 
mation, without which you will hardly lay your 
hands on the good fortune I intend for you.” 

“You are mysterious, my Lord. This boy 
of mine ” 

“Will bring you wealth and dignity I prom- 
ise, if you allow me to conduct the affair. If 
not—” 

“ What is the other reason % ” 

“ The other reason,” replied the earl, look- 
ing down and moving a skittle gently with the 
toe of his boot, “the other reason is that I re- 
quire you to spend the first part of your holi- 
day elsewhere.” 


184 


THE BL UE PA VILI0N8. 


“ Where may that be ? ” 

“ At Saint Germains.” 

“ My Lord, yon risk my neck with much com- 
posure.” 

“ There is no risk at all unless ” 

“ Finish your sentence.” 

“ — unless you refuse,” said the earl signifi- 
cantly. 

“ Proceed, my Lord.” Captain Salt’s face 
flushed scarlet ; then a sweat broke out on his 
temples, where the instant before the veins 
had been swollen with rage. 

“ There is no reason against your starting at 
once. Y ou have altered the fuses, I suppose ? ’ ’ 
“ Yes.” 

“ And made all the arrangements 2 ” 

‘ 4 Nothing is omitted. The guns will be fired 
twenty minutes too soon, at ten minutes after 
nine. As William knows nothing about the 
signal, and has made his dispositions for half- 
past nine, the poor fellows will have some fun 
for their pains, after all.” 

‘‘Excellent,” said the earl, smiling. “It 
only remains for you to start. Here are the 
papers ; I advise you to keep them carefully 
sorted. This, in cipher, is for James. It is 


FATHER AND SON 


185 


full of promises, and in addition, to keep his 
spirits up, you can give him an account of the 
mutiny, pointing out how near it came to 
success. A boat shall take you to Sevenber- 
gen ; after that you know the road— the usual 
one. The word is Modena. You will take 
your son with you, of course, and persuade him 
(if you can) that he is traveling back to Har- 
wich by the shortest road.” 

“ That will be difficult.” 

“From Paris return to Dunkirk and there 
await a letter from me. By that time I hope 
to be able to send you information on the 
strength of which you may at once sail for Har- 
wich. Meanwhile, guard that young man as 
the apple of your eye.” 

We will return to the subject of this amiable 
advice. Tristram had been kicking his heels 
for ten minutes or more in the windy passage, 
and wondering if he should ever know the 
taste of food again, when the door opened on 
the landing above and the old gentleman in 
blue and silver descended the stairs from his 
audience. He was clearly in something of a 
hurry, and strode past our hero as if unaware 


186 


TEE BL UE PA VIL10NS. 


of his presence ; but turned on his hee] at the 
end of the passage, and came swiftly back. 

“ I beg your pardon, young man,” he began, 
in a quick foreign voice, “but I thought I 
heard his Majesty speaking to you of a Cap- 
tain Eunacles as I entered the room. Forgive 
me if I seem too inquisitive, but do you hap- 
pen to know Captain Jeremiah Eunacles ? ” 
u I know no reason, sir, against my answer- 
ing. I know him well, and love him.” 

“ Ha ! Where does he live ? ” 

“ In Harwich.’’ 

“ He keeps hale?” 

“ In excellent health for his age.” 

“ He could still answer for himself with a 
small sword — I mean not with a young adver- 
sary — but say with a man of my age ? ” 

“ I have not the slightest doubt of it, sir.” 
Tristram stared at the old gentleman, who was 
of a tall unwieldy figure and choleric com- 
plexion. 

“You will be seeing him again shortly ? ” 

“ With God’s help I shall see him in three 
days time.” 

“ Then I’d be obliged by your taking him a 
message from me. Tell him, sir, that I, Cap- 


FATHER AND SON. 


187 


tain Yan Adrienssen, may be lieard of at The 
Hague, at any time, and have not forgotten a 
certain promise of his (to cut my comb) which 
he uttered at one time when our ships lay 
alongside off the Texel. Assure him that, 
though night parted us, I still retain the boot 
which he flung at my head and into my ship. 
Say that I have been waiting ever since for the 
man who fits that boot, and warn him that we 
are both well stricken in years and have lit- 
tle time left in which to try conclusions. You 
have that by heart % ” 

“Yes, sir.” 

“ Repeat it.” 

Tristram did so. 

“ Very well ; now be careful to deliver it.” 

And nodding his head sharply, the old gen- 
tleman hurried away on his business just as 
the earl and Captain Salt returned from their 
colloquy. 


CHAPTER IX. 

THE FOUR MEN AT THE “ WHITE LAMB.” 

“Well, my son,” began Captain Salt, as 
the earl reascended the stairs, “ thanks be that 
we are alone together at last ! Do I not keep 
my promises ? ” 

“Indeed, father, you are kind. There is 
only one thing ” 

“What is that?” 

“I should prefer to return to Harwich 
alive : and seeing that I have eaten nothing for 
a day and a half ” 

His father interrupted him by taking his 
arm and hurrying him off to the kitchen of the 
auberge , where a fat woman was basting a 
couple of ducks before a roaring fire. 

“ Pardon me, mistress,” he began in Dutch : 
“but can you give this young man a break- 
fast ? ” The hostess seemed to be annoyed. 

“What does he want?” she inquired 
sharply. 

The question being interpreted to Tristram, 
188 


AT THE “WHITE LAMB: 


189 


he answered that he wanted everything, but 
that in the meantime the ducks would serve to 
break the edge of his fast. 

“But these are for his Majesty.” 

“ What have you besides ? ” 

“ Salt fish.” 

u I will begin with salt fish.” 

“Bacon.” 

“ I see,” said Tristram, nodding up at a 
regiment of hams that depended from a rack 
overhead ; “I will eat these also. What 
else? ” 

“ Cheese.” 

“On second thoughts I will begin with 
cheese, while the fish is being prepared. Is 
that all ? ” 

“ Mother of God ! Is it not enough ? ” 

“ How can I tell yet ? Let me see your 
bread and cheese.” 

The woman left her ducks, and in a minute 
had dumped down a loaf and a huge round 
cheese of an orange color before our hero. 

“When do we start?” he asked, with his 
mouth full. 

“ Shortly after dark.” 

“Then I have plenty of time.” 


190 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“I should hope so. Hostess, bring a bottle 
of wine.” 

“Two bottles,” Tristram interrupted. 

“ It will get into your head.” 

“I hope so, for my head is something light 
at present.” 

“You propose then to spend the day in eat- 
ing and drinking ? ” 

4 4 Unless you know of some other amusement 
with which we can beguile the time.” 

44 None whatever. In fact I can propose no 
better course ; and as I must leave you for 
some time, while I make arrangements for our 
return ” 

44 1 shall not be lonely,” said Tristram, with 
a glance at the ducks, followed by an upward 
look of resignation directed at the rows of 
hams. 

It was dark when Captain Salt returned and 
found his son on the settle where he had left 
him. Tristram was not sitting, however, but 
stretched at length and breathing heavily. At 
the further end of the table sat the host and 
hostess of the inn, engaged in making out the 
bill. 

44 One — two — three — six bottles! ” exclaimed 


AT THE “ WHITE LAMB. 


191 


his father, counting the ruins on the board. 
“ Why, the boy is drunk ! ” 

“No, father,” Tristram interrupted, sitting 
up and rubbing his eyes ; “not so much drunk 
as asleep, and not so much asleep but that I 
could see the landlord here add three empty 
bottles to the two I had finished, without 
counting one that came full to the table and 
was emptied by him for his supper.” 

Captain Salt shot a searching glance at the 
couple, who colored and seemed confused. 

“What is this?” he cried, examining the 
reckoning. “ Two ducks ! ” 

“ Ah, I’m afraid it is true that I ate one of 
the ducks.” 

“But they were for his Majesty.” 

“ It appears they were cooked on the chance 
of pleasing his Majesty, who left, however, 
without inquiring for them. The landlord and 
his wife have just eaten the other. Is it time 
to start? ” 

“Yes.” 

Tristram jumped up and stretched himself, 
smiling amiably on the host and hostess, who 
returned his look with no very good will. Cap- 
tain Salt, having made the proper deductions, 


192 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


calmly paid the reckoning and they left the 
house. 

Outside, the weather was still dirty, and a 
wind, which had gradually risen since the 
morning, blew in their faces, charged with 
chilly moisture. The mist, however, had 
cleared a little ; and Tristram, as he rammed 
his hat tightly on his head, before facing the 
night, could see the lights of the squadron far 
out upon the black and broken waters of the 
Maese. 

“ In what ship do we return ? ” he asked. 

The wind, apparently, drowned his ques- 
tion, for Captain Salt started off without re- 
plying and led the way down across the sand- 
banks. It seemed to Tristram that their path 
lay to the left of that by which they had ap- 
proached the inn early in the morning. He 
was straining his eyes on the lookout for the 
wooden landing-stage, when suddenly, on 
climbing a ridge somewhat higher than the 
rest, he saw the white fringe of the weaves 
glimmering close under his feet, and the inky 
shadows of a boat, in which sat a couple of 
dark forms. One of these, hearing the low 
whistle uttered by Captain Salt, scrambled 


AT THE “ WHITE LAMB: 


193 


forward to the bows and held out a 
hand. 

Tristram looked at his father, who nodded. 
They entered the boat in silence, and within a 
minute were being rowed rapidly across the 
tide. It struck our hero that the oars made 
remarkably little noise, in spite of the energy 
with which they were plied. He was about to 
speak, but checked himself on seeing his 
father raise a finger to his lips. “ What is the 
meaning of this?” he wondered. His enor- 
mous meal was having effect in a heavy 
drowsiness ; and deciding that, if not allowed 
to speak he might at least nod, he closed his 
eyes. 

He opened them again with a start. From 
the shore behind them, the roar of guns had 
just burst out upon the night. 

This was his first impression, but the sound 
was not repeated, and in a moment or two he 
fancied he must have been dreaming of the 
salute he had heard in the lazaretto of the 
Godsend , as the squadron sailed out of Har- 
wich. The boat was still moving with un- 
abated speed, and the dark, choppy water 
stretched all around them. Through the 


194 


TEE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


murky night the ship’s lanterns still shone 
steadily enough, but further off than before 
and at a sharp angle behind his right shoul- 
der. 

“ It seems we are not steering very straight 
for the fleet,” he could not help remarking. 

“We are not steering for the fleet,” said his 
father. 

“ But I thought ” 

He broke off as a series of sharp flashes 
danced out in the distance, followed by the 
rattle of musketry and a dull, confused shout- 
ing. 

“You perceive,” Captain Salt remarked, 
“ that the squadron is not the safest means of 
reaching Harwich.” 

“ What are they doing out there ? ” 

“ They are killing each other.” 

“ That sounds very unpleasant.” 

“ And as the night is too dark to distinguish 
faces with any certainty, I thought you would 
prefer to go home by another way.” 

“ A longer way ? ” 

“ It is certainly a trifle longer : but then, as 
it won’t expose you to the risk of being 
killed ” 


AT THE “ WHITE LAMB: 


195 


4 4 That’ s true. I don’ t grudge the time spent 
in avoiding that risk.” 

The explosions of musketry, meanwhile, 
had been following each other faster and 
faster, and at length became incessant. 

4 4 Bravo!” muttered Captain Salt to him- 
self; 44 this will take some time to quell.” 

44 What did you say ? ” 

44 1 was thinking, my son, that it’s lucky you 
have somebody to look after you.” 

Tristram sought for his father’s hand, and 
pressed it. 

44 1 am not ungrateful, as you think.” 

44 Why should I think so % You will have 
more yet to thank me for, I hope.” 

The boat at this moment swung round to 
the left, around a sandy promontory that hid 
the jets of firearms behind them ; but waves 
of light still flickered across the black sky and 
the shouting still went on, though growing 
fainter as they hurried forward. By one of 
the flashes, more vivid than the rest and ac- 
companied by the din of a whole volley, Tris- 
tram saw that the boat was now being pro- 
pelled down a narrow channel, both shores of 
which he could just perceive across the gloom. 


196 


TEE BL UE PA VI LIONS. 


Captain Salt suddenly raised both hands to his 
mouth and, hollowing the palms, uttered three 
mournful cries, long and loud, like the wailing 
of a gull. 

Within half a minute the sound was 
echoed back from the distance on the right 
shore, for which the boat immediately headed. 
After thirty strokes Tristram felt the sand rub 
beneath the keel, and they came to a stand. 

“ Show the light,” his father called, jump- 
ing out into the water that hardly covered the 
insteps of his riding-boots. 

The red glow of a lantern appeared as if by 
magic, and revealed a man standing but twenty 
yards ahead, on a gentle slope of sand. He 
held the lantern in one hand, and his right arm 
was slipped through the bridles of two horses 
that waited side by side and ready saddled. 

“Dear me,” Captain Salt observed, reach- 
ing a hand to Tristram and helping him to 
land. “ I forgot to ask if you could ride.” 

“ A very little, my father.” 

“You will find it difficult, then, to trot. 
Therefore we will gallop.” 

“You intend me to climb upon one of these 
beasts?” 


AT THE “ WHITE LAMB: 


19 1 


“ That is easy enough.” 

“ I do not deny it ; but I suppose you also 
mean me to stay on.” 

“ Come : we must lose no time.” 

“Luckily the soil of Holland, as far as I am 
acquainted with it, is soft and sandy. On the 
other hand ” 

“Well?” 

“ I was about to remark that they grow an 
immense quantity of tulips in this country, 
which demand a harder soil.” 

“We shall pass none.” 

“ That is fortunate. For when I reach home 
and they ask me, ‘ Well, what have you done in 
Holland ? 5 it would be sad to own ‘ I have 
done little beyond spoiling a bed of 
tulips.’ ” 

With this he climbed into the saddle and 
thrust his feet well into the stirrups, while his 
father whispered a word or two to the boat- 
men, who were about to push off on their re- 
turn journey. 

“Are you ready, my son?” he asked, re* 
turning and mounting beside him. 

“ Quite.” 

“ Forward, then ! ” 


198 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


The two horses broke into a trot. “Ugh ! ” 
exclaimed Tristram, bobbing up and down. 

“ I told yon we must go faster. Stick your 
knees tightly into the saddle— so.” 

The wind and the night began to race by 
Tristram's ears, as his horse leapt forward. 
The motion became easier, but the pace was 
terrifying to a desperate degree, for it seemed 
that he sat upon nothing but was being whirled 
through the air, as from a catapult, at the 
heels of a father who pounded furiously 
through the darkness, a dozen yards ahead. 
For three minutes at least he felt at every stride 
an extreme uncertainty as to his chances of 
realighting in the saddle. It reminded him of 
cup-and-ball, and he reflected with envy that 
the ball, in that game, is always attached to 
the cup with a string. 

At the end of ten minutes Captain Salt 
reined up, and Tristram’s horse, after being 
carried past for twenty yards, by liis mere im- 
petus, stopped of his own accord and to his 
rider’s intense satisfaction. 

“Look!” said the captain, pointing to the 
sky behind them, which was now illumined by 
a broad scarlet glare. 


AT THE “ WHITE LAMB.' 


199 


“What is that?’’ 

“ One of the ships on fire.” 

“ Then I am better off where I am.” 

“ Did you doubt it ? ” 

“ I was beginning to. How much further 
must we ride \ ” 

“Two leagues.” 

Tristram groaned, and they set off again, 
but more slowly, for the road now was paved 
with bricks instead of the loose sand over 
which they had traveled hitherto ; and more- 
over it ran without fence or parapet along 
the top of a formidable dyke, the black waters 
of which, far beneath him, caused Tristram the 
most painful apprehension. Captain Salt, 
guessing this, slackened their pace to a walk. 
The glare still reddened the sky behind ; but 
either the firing had ceased or they had passed 
beyond sound of it. At any rate, they heard 
only the water lapping in the dykes and the 
wind that howled over the wastes around. 

Tristram had long since lost his hat, and his 
nose was bleeding from a sharp blow against 
his horse’s neck. He was trying to stanch 
the flow when the chimes of the clock pealed 
down the wind from somewhere ahead and on 


200 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


his right. His father halted again and, after 
scanning the gloom for a minute, uttered again 
the three calls that were like the wailing of a 
gull. 

Again the signal was answered, this time 
from their left, and the spark of a lantern ap- 
peared. 

“ Dismount, my son,” said the captain, 
setting the example and leading his horse by 
the bridle toward the light; “we leave our 
horses here.” 

“ For others ?” 

“Ho, for a canal-boat.” 

“This country may be flat,” thought Tris- 
tram, “but decidedly the traveling is not 
dull.” 

As he drew near the lantern, he saw, indeed, 
that they were on the edge of a canal, wherein 
lay a long, black barge, with a boy on horse- 
back waiting on the towpath, a little ahead of 
it. On the barge’s deck, by the tiller, an im- 
mensely fat boatman leant and smoked his 
pipe, which he withdrew from his lips placidly 
as Captain Salt gave the password to the man 
with the lantern and handed over the smoking 
horses. 


AT TEE “ WHITE LAMB . 


201 


“ Modena .” 

The fat man spat, stood upright, and pre- 
pared for business, as the passengers stumbled 
on board. Not a word more was spoken until 
Tristram found himself in a long, low cabin 
divided into two parts by a deal partition. 
By the light of a swinging lamp he saw that a 
bench ran along the after-compartment, and 
asked if he might stretch himself out to sleep. 

“By all means,” said his father. “I was 
going to propose it myself. We shall travel 
without halting until morning.” 

“Then, good-night.” 

“You appear in a hurry.” 

“ It seems to me that it’s my turn to appear 
so.” 

The barge was hardly in motion before Tris- 
tram began to snore, nor did he awake till 
the sun was high and shining in through the 
little opening by the stern, through which he 
could see the legs of the fat steersman on deck. 
While he rubbed his eyes, his father appeared 
at the cabin door with a bundle in one hand 
and a big market- basket in the other. 

“You sleep late, my son. I have already 
been marketing, as you see.” 


202 


THE BL HE PA VILIONS. 


“Then we are at a standstill ? ” 

“Yes, but we move on again in three min- 
utes.’ ’ 

“ What have you bought ? ” 

4 4 Y our breakfast. See ’ ’ and the captain 

spread on the cabin table an enormous sausage, 
two loaves of bread, and a bottle of red wine. 

44 That is good, for I warn you I am hungry.” 

44 But first of all you must dress.” 

44 Am I not already dressed ?” 

44 Let me point out that the uniform of a 
private soldier in his Majesty’s Coldstream 
Guards differs in so many respects from the 
native costume of these parts that it can hardly 
fail to excite remark. Listen ; I have here two 
suits of clothes, in which we must travel for 
the next day or two, I as a private gentleman 
and you as my lackey.” 

44 1 begin to see that this way back to Har- 
wich has its difficulties as well as the other,” 
sighed Tristram, while they changed their suits. 
This reflection threw him into a profound mel- 
ancholy which lasted throughout the day, inso- 
much that he hardly found heart to go on deck, 
but sat on his bench in the cabin, feeding his 
heart on the prospect of Sophia’s joy at his re- 


AT THE “ WHITE LAMB. 


203 


turn and listening to his father, who sat and 
whistled on the cabin hatch, to the thud of the 
towing-horses’ hoofs, and to the monotonous 
“hay!” and the “vull!” of the boatmen 
whenever the barge encountered another and 
one of the two slackened rope to allow passage. 

Occasionally they were hailed from the bank 
by travelers who wished to journey down 
stream ; but the invariable answer was that 
this barge had been hired by a nobleman who 
wished to travel without company and at his 
leisure. As Tristram, however, knew nothing 
of the Dutch language he imagined them to be 
but kindly salutations of the inhabitants de- 
signed to enliven a voyage which (as he judged) 
must be inexpressibly tedious to anyone who 
made it with any other purpose than that of 
being restored to Sophia’ s embrace. 

Toward sunset he went on deck and observed 
his father steadily gazing at the left bank of 
the canal, parallel to which, and at a distance 
of five hundred yards or less, there ran an em- 
bankment with a highroad along the top of it. 
Following the direction of Captain Salt’s eyes, 
he descried a party of four horsemen, about 
half a mile behind them, advancing down the 


204 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


road at a steady trot. The captain had paused 
in his whistling — which had been pretty con- 
tinuous all day — and was regarding these 
horsemen with great interest. 

“Ido not like them,” he said reflectively, 
and spoke a few words to the steersman, who 
glanced back over his shoulder. 

“You have met them before?” Tristram 
inquired. 

“Not that I know of. Nevertheless I do 
not like them.” 

Tristram thought this odd, for it was impos- 
sible at that distance to descry the features of 
the riders. 

“We will go below,” his father announced, 
rising in a leisurely manner. 

They did so and stood by the cabin door, so 
that their forms were hidden while they could 
see perfectly all that passed on the bank. 
The four horsemen drew near and trotted by 
at the same pace, without seeming to turn 
their heads toward the canal. Two rode horses 
of a dark bay color, the third a dapple-gray, 
and the fourth a sorrel. As soon as they had 
passed out of sight, Captain Salt ascended to 
the deck again and entered into a long conver- 


AT TEE “ WHITE LAMB. 


205 


sation in Dutch with the fat boatman. As 
this did not amuse Tristram, he remained be- 
low and, stretching himself again on the bench, 
began to dream of Sophia. 

Three hours later he awoke, said his prayers, 
and was preparing to go to sleep again, when 
his father entered the cabin. 

“ Hullo ! what are you doing?” 

“I was just thanking Heaven, which, 
against my inclinations, makes our journey a 
slow one.” 

“You do not wish to reach home in a 
hurry?” 

“ On the contrary, I desire it extremely. 
But having remarked that whenever I travel 
fast I am either seasick or jolted raw, I feel 
grateful for every restraint put upon my 
ardor.” 

“In that case I almost fear to announce that 
we shall move faster to-morrow.” 

“ I am willing to be coerced,” said Tristram, 
and dropped off again. 

It was but an hour after dawn when his 
father aroused him. The boat lay moored by 
a little quay, beyond which his eye traveled to 
clusters of red roofs glowing in the easterly 


206 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


sunshine and a dominant spire, the weather- 
cock of which dazzled the eye with its bright- 
ness. The town was just waking up, as could 
be perceived from the blue wreaths of smoke 
that poured out of the chimneys. Captain 
Salt was in an evident hurry. Without giv- 
ing Tristram time to wash in the fore-cabin, 
he hustled him on shore and up a narrow 
street to an inn, over the archway of which 
hung the sign of a White Lamb with a flag 
between its forelegs. Here they rang a bell 
and were admitted after ten minutes by a 
sleepy chambermaid, who led them upstairs 
to a low-browed sitting-room facing the street, 
as they perceived when she drew back the 
shutters. At the back of this room lay two 
bedchambers ; and Tristram withdrew into 
the nearer, while his father ordered breakfast. 

It happened that these two bedrooms over- 
looked a broad court, or stable- yard, behind 
the White Lamb. Captain Salt, having 
given his instructions, retired, whistling cheer- 
fully, to perform his toilet. He was in the 
best of spirits, and broke now and again into 
snatches of song, which he trolled out in a 
tenor voice of great richness and flexibility. 


AT THE “ WHITE LAMB.” 


207 


Tristram listened in admiration on the other 
side of the partition. The songs were those of 
Tom d’Urfey and his imitators, and dealt in a 
strain of easy sentimentality with hayrakes, 
milking-pails, and all the apparatus of a coun- 
try life as etherialized by a cockney fancy: 
but the captain sang with such a gusto, such 
bravura, and such an appealing tremolo in the 
pathetic passages, that you might have mis- 
taken the splashing of water in his basin, as 
he broke off to wash his face, for tears of un- 
controllable regret that he had not been born 
a “ swain’’ (as he put it). Suddenly, how- 
ever, one of his roulades ceased with more 
abruptness than usual, and the enchanted 
Tristram waited in vain for the ditty to be 
resumed. The fact was that Captain Salt had 
glanced out of window and seen at a stable 
door across the court a man stooping with his 
back to the inn, and washing down the legs of 
a dark bay horse. 

The captain contemplated this group for a 
moment ; then hastily donned his coat and 
running into the parlor looked out upon the 
street. 

Immediately under the signboard of the 


208 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


White Lamb, and before the front door, 
stood a couple of men and chatted as they 
passed a tankard of beer to each other. Cap- 
tain Salt could not see their faces, owing to 
the extreme width of their hat brims. But he 
turned a shade paler and, drawing back from 
the window, stepped to the door which opened 
upon the landing. Moving softly to the bal- 
usters, he peered over. Directly beneath him, 
at the foot of the stairs, sat yet another man in 
a broad-brimmed hat, who was engaged very 
tranquilly in polishing a pistol with an oily 
rag. The barrel glimmered in the light that 
shone down the well of the staircase from a 
skylight above Captain Salt’s head. 

He retired to the parlor again and, after 
trying the lock of the door, walked to and 
fro in deep thought for a wdiile. Then from 
the bedroom he fetched his sword and belt, 
with the two pistols which he had carried 
throughout the journey. He was examining 
the priming of these very narrowly when 
Tristram appeared, red and glowing from his 
ablutions. Almost at the same instant foot- 
steps were heard ascending the stairs. The cap- 
tain went quickly to the door, pistol in hand. 


AT THE “WHITE LAMB: 


209 


It was only the waitress, however, with the 
tray containing their breakfast. He told her 
to set it down, looked at the tray, and an- 
nouncing that he was hungrier than he had 
imagined, desired her to bring up a ham, 
another loaf, and four bottles of wine. Tris- 
tram stared. 

“You seem puzzled, my son.” 

“It is my turn again. Let me remind you 
that, two days ago, you marveled at my 
appetite.’ ’ 

“But this has to last us for a whole day, 
and perhaps longer.” 

“Are we not, then, to proceed further to- 
day.” 

“I doubt if we can.” 

“ Decidedly this journey gets slower and 
slower.” 

The waitress came back with the additional 
provisions and set them on the table. As 
soon as she was gone, Captain Salt locked 
the door. 

“Why is that?” 

“Merely that I don’t wish to be inter- 
rupted.” 

They ate their breakfast in silence. Tris- 


210 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


tram, as soon as it was over, rose and, strolling 
across the room, was about to gaze out upon 
the street, when his father begged him to 
come away from the window. 

“Why?” 

“My son, you should obey your father with- 
out questioning,” the captain answered some- 
what tartly. 

“ Forgive me.” 

Tristram had been taught to obey : but con- 
sidering the wide views for which this country 
was notorious, he began to reflect with astonish- 
ment on the small amount he was allowed to 
see. Also he remarked, as the morning wore 
on, that his father was perpetually at one win- 
dow or another, moving from parlor to bed- 
room and back, and scanning, now the street, 
now the stable-yard, yet always with a certain 
amount of caution. Captain Salt indeed was 
gradually working himself into a state of rest- 
less irritation. The man in the stable-yard 
groomed away at the four horses, one after 
another, saddled them, and led them back to 
the stable again ; then composed himself to 
sleep on a stool outside the stable-door, with 
a straw in his mouth and his hat-brim well 


AT THE “ WHITE LAMB . 


211 


over liis eyes. The others still lounged in the 
sunshine before the inn-door. He could hear 
the sound of their voices and occasional laugh- 
ter but not the words of their conversation. 

It was about six in the evening when the 
captain was struck with the idea. At first it 
staggered him a little, then he thought it over 
and looked at it from several sides. Each 
time he reviewed the plan he got rid of a 
scruple or two, and by degrees began to like 
it exceedingly. His restlessness diminished, 
and in the end he became quite still. 

Tristram, yawning before the fire, glanced 
up and found his father’s eyes fixed upon him. 

“ My company wearies you, dear lad.” 

The dear lad disclaimed weariness. But 
Captain Salt advanced, sighed, and laid a hand 
on his shoulder. 

“Yes, Tristram; let us not deceive our- 
selves. I have done you a wrong, for which 
you must forgive me. I hoped, by delaying 
your return and keeping you near me — I hoped 
that perhaps ” here he sighed again and ap- 

peared to struggle with an inward grief. “Do 
not make it hard for me by bearing malice,” 
he implored, breaking off his explanation. 


212 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“ I don't quite understand. Are you telling 
me that you have kept me here unnecessa- 
rily? ” 

“ Alas! my boy — I hoped that your affec- 
tion for me might grow with the opportunity, 
as mine has grown for you.” 

Tristram thought that to spend a morning in 
pacing from one window to another was an 
odd way of encouraging affection ; but he 
merely answered : 

“My dear father, I have a confession to 
make.” 

“A confession ?” 

“One that will not only explain my eager- 
ness to get home, but also will, I trust, soothe 
your disappointment. The fact is, I am in 
love.” 

“Eh! that certainly alters matters. With 
whom ? ” 

“ With Sophia.” 

“Who is Sophia?” 

“ She is Captain Runacles’ only daughter, 
and lives on the other side of our hedge.” 

“My dear lad ! Why did you not tell me 
this ? Detain you !— no, you shall fly on the 
wings of the wind. We will set out this 


AT THE " WHITE LAMB: 


213 


very afternoon on the swiftest horses this inn 
can furnish ” 

Tristram winced. “There are limits even to 
a lover’s zeal,” he murmured. 

u No, no. Ah, my boy! I, too, have been 
in love — I can find the key to your feelings by 
searching my memory. May you be happier 
than I ! ” 

He passed the back of his hand across his 
eyes and continued more cheerfully, hilari- 
ously almost : 

“But away with an old man’s memories! 
I was young, then, and ardent as you. Nay, 
as I look upon you, I see my very self re- 
flected across a score of sorrowful years. We 
are extraordinarily alike, Tristram. Come, 
stand up and measure with me, back to 
back.” 

They did so. The captain found himself 
the taller by a mere shade. 

“It is the wig,” he said. “Come, twist up 
your natural hair and let me see you in this 

wig.” 

Tristram obeyed, and his father fell back in 
astonishment. “ It is extraordinary ! ” 

“Certainly I perceive the likeness,” ad- 


214 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


mitted Tristram, contemplating himself in the 
mirror that hang above the mantelpiece. 

“It is nothing to what could be produced 
by the merest touch or two of art. Give me 
five minutes, and I warrant you shall deceive 
the waitress here.” 

He drew the curtains, took down a candle 
from the mantelshelf, lit it, and set it on the 
table : then, picking up the cork of an empty 
bottle, held this to the flame for two seconds 
or so, and began to operate on his son’ s face. 

u Ah,” he said, “to think that each wrinkle, 
each line, that I copy with a piece of cork, has 
been traced in the original by a separate sor- 
row ! Tristram, your presence makes me 
young again, young and childish. And in 
return I make you old — a pretty recom- 
pense ! ” 

Tristram, whose nature was profoundly 
serious, stood up very stiff, and blinking 
at the hand which wandered over his face, 
touching it here and there as softly as with a 
feather. 

“ Are we not wasting time ? ” he protested. 

“ Hot at all ; and to prove it, I am about to 
send you downstairs to order horses. It is 


AT THE “ WHITE LAMB.' 


215 


wonderful ! I wager the people of the inn 
shall not know you. Order a couple of fleet 
horses to be waiting in an hour from now: 
that will give us plenty of time to reach Hieu- 
poort and take a night’s rest before sailing to- 
morrow. Here, kick ofl those clumsy boots 
and take mine ; also my cloak here, and 
sword. Your breeches and stockings will do. 
Afterward you can stroll out into the town, if 
you will, and purchase a keepsake for Sophia ; 
I myself will buy a ring at Hieupoort for you 
to fit upon her pretty finger, if you succeed in 
tricking the folk below stairs. Farewell, my 
son, and God bless you ! — only be back within 
the hour.” 

As the door closed upon Tristram, Captain 
Salt advanced to the keyhole and listened. 

“A sound skin,” he muttered to himself, 
“is better than a dull son. Moreover, at the 
worst he’ll be taken back to The Hague, and 
there the earl will keep him forme.” 

He examined his pistols for a moment, 
opened the door softly and, creeping out on 
the landing, began to listen with all his ears. 

Meanwhile our hero marched downstairs, 
and encountering the waitress in the passage 


216 


TEE BL UE PA VI LIONS. 


below, gave the order for the horses. The 
waitress summoned a lethargic, round- bellied 
man from an inner parlor, who bowed as well 
as his waist would let him and straddled out to 
the stables to repeat the order. Somewhat 
pleased to find he had not been recognized, 
Tristram sauntered up the dusky passage and 
forth at the front door. As he passed out 
leisurely, he took careless note of a party of 
three men seated a few paces to the right of 
the door, around a rough wooden table. 
Nevertheless the effect of his exit upon this 
party was extraordinary. For a moment they 
gazed after him, their faces expressing sheer 
amazement. Then they whispered together 
and stared again. Finally all three stood on 
their legs and buckled their sword-belts. Two 
of them started off to follow Tristram, who had 
by this time reached the street-corner and was 
gazing up at the house-fronts on either hand 
with the utmost interest. The third man 
waited until they had gone a dozen yards and 
then blew a whistle. In less than half a min- 
ute he was joined by the man from the stable- 
yard, and after a short colloquy this pair also 
linked arms and strolled up the street. 


AT THE “ WHITE LAMB.' 


217 


It was drawing toward sunset, and lights be- 
gan to appear in several of the houses as Tris- 
tram passed along. The few foot-passengers in 
the street wished him “good-night” in the 
Dutch tongue, and he answered their saluta- 
tions amiably in English, guessing the good 
will in the tones of their voices. He was 
greatly pleased, also, by the number of villas 
and small gardens that diversified the houses 
of business, each with a painted summerhouse 
overtopping the wall and a painted motto on 
the gate. He longed to explore these gardens 
and take home to Harwich some report of the 
famous Dutch tulip-beds, on which Captain 
Barker was perpetually descanting. A long 
line of these garden-walls drew him down a 
street to the right and out toward the suburbs, 
where the prospect at the end of the road was 
closed by a long line of windmills. All the 
while he had been pacing along at the idlest 
pace, with a score of pauses. Suddenly he be- 
thought him that it must be time to return and 
was about to do so when his eye was caught 
by a little shop on the other side of the road. 
He could not read the inscription above it, but 
the window was crowded with bulbs and roots 


218 


TEE BL JJE PA VI LION 8. 


of all kinds and bags of seed in small stacks. 
He crossed the road and entered the low door, 
meaning to buy a present for Sophia, whom 
for the last half-hour he had completely for- 
gotten. 

The proprietor of the shop sat inside behind 
a low counter, reading a book by the light of 
a defective oil-lamp, the smoke of which had 
smeared the rafters in a large, irregular circle. 
He was a little wizened man, with a pair of 
horn spectacles which he pushed high upon 
his brow as his customer entered. 

“Since my father has engaged to buy Sophia 
a ring,” said Tristram to himself, “I will get 
her a tulip. We will sit hand in hand and 
watch it unfold.” 

The prospect so engaged his fancy that he 
entered and began a sentence in excellent 
English. The shopman replied by shaking 
his head and uttering a few unintelligible 
words. 

This was dashing. Tristram cast about for a 
few seconds and began again in dog-Latin, a 
tongue which he had acquired in order to read 
the herbals to Captain Barker, on winter even- 
ings, when time hung upon their hands. To 


AT THE “ WHITE LAMB . 


219 


his delight, the little man answered him 
promptly. Within a minute they were 
charmed with each other; within two, they 
had the highest opinion of each other ; within 
ten, the counter was heaped with trays of the 
rarest bulbs, insomuch that Tristram found a 
grave difficulty in choosing that which should 
give the greatest pleasure to his Sophia. 

But alas ! in changing clothes with his son, 
Captain Salt had found it unnecessary to 
change breeches. Tristram put a hand into 
his pocket and discovered that it contained 
one coin only, the shilling with which he had 
been presented, when forcibly enlisted in his 
Majesty’s Coldstream Guards. 

Here was a mess. The Latin of the en- 
thusiastic shopman was becoming almost 
Ciceronian when Tristram pulled out the coin 
and, holding it under his nose, briefly stated 
the case. Then the wizened face fell a full 
inch, and the eloquent voice broke off to ex- 
plain that an English shilling, though doubt- 
less a valid tender in England, was not worth 
more than a stiver, if that, to a Dutch trades- 
man. 

Tristram apologized, adding that if the shop- 


220 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


man had a pennyworth of any kind of seed, 
he would purchase it, as a small reparation for 
his intrusion on the time of so learned a man. 

The shopman took the shilling and tossed 
upon the counter a packet of pepper-cress 
seed. Our hero pocketed it, and was leaving 
the shop; but paused on the threshold and 
began to renew his apologies. 

The little man had picked up his book again 
and turned a deaf ear. 

Tristram stepped out into the street. As he 
did so, a hand was laid on his arm, and a voice 
said in good English : 

“I arrest you in the name of King William.” 


CHAPTER X. 

THE TRIBULATIONS OF TRISTRAM. 

“ I really think there must be some mis- 
take,” said Tristram, as he turned in some 
surprise, and saw a tall man of soldierly- 
presence with three stalwart comrades imme- 
diately behind him. 

“ No mistake at all,” said the tall man, with 
conviction. “ My orders are to arrest you and 
convey you back to The Hague.” 

“ But I am about to leave Holland and this 
will cause me considerable delay.” 

“ Undoubtedly.” 

“In that case,” Tristram replied, springing 
back a pace and whipping out his sword, “ I 
must decline to follow you.” 

“ Bah ! This is folly.” 

“ On the contrary, it is the conclusion of a 
valid syllogism which I will explain to you if 
you have time.” 

“ Seize him ! ” was the only answer. The 
four men drew their swords and rushed for- 


221 


222 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


ward together. Perceiving that he must be 
skewered against the shop-door if he awaited 
their onset, Tristram contented himself with 
disarming his foremost assailant ; then, spring- 
ing wildly back on his left heel, he spun round 
and began to run down the street for dear life. 

His movement had been so sudden that he 
gained a dozen yards before his enemies recov- 
ered from their surprise and set off in pursuit. 
Sword in hand Tristram flew along the cause- 
way, under the high garden-walls, for the open 
country and the windmills ahead. He heard 
their feet pounding after him, but luckily did 
not glance behind. Therefore he was ignorant 
that his leading pursuer carried a brace of 
pistols in his belt and was drawing one out as 
he ran. 

It was so, however ; and in half a minute 
the pistol cracked out behind him — as it 
seemed, at the very back of his ear. 

He sped on nevertheless, not knowing if he 
were wounded or not, but very wisely deciding 
that this was the surest way to find out. 

As it happened, this pistol-shot proved of 
the greatest service to him. For an inquisitive 
burgher, hearing the outcries along the road, 


THE TRIBULATIONS OF TRISTRAM. 223 

had popped his head out of his garden door 
at the very moment that Tristram whizzed 
by, followed by the detonation. He, too, was 
uncertain about the bullet, but determined on 
the instant to take the gloomier view. He 
therefore fell across the pavement on his stom- 
ach and bellowed. 

The distraction was so sudden that two of 
the pursuers tripped over his prostrate form 
and fell headlong. Their swords clanged on 
the cobbles. With the ciang there mingled the 
sound of a muffled explosion. 

“Curse the idiot! You’ve killed him, 
Dick.” 

The pair picked themselves up as their com- 
rades leapt past them. Dick snatched up his 
second pistol and resumed the pursuit without 
troubling his head about the burgher. 

The burgher picked himself up and extracted 
the ball from the folds of his voluminous 
breeches. Then he went indoors for ointment 
and plaster, the flame of the powder having 
scorched him severely. Later, he had the bent 
guelder (which had diverted the bullet) fas- 
tened to a little gold chain, and his wife wore 
it always on the front of her bodice. Finally 


224 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


it became an heirloom in a thriving Dutch 
family. 

But he was a very slow man, and all this 
took a considerable time. Meanwhile we 
have left Tristram running about thirty yards 
ahead of his foremost enemy. 

He gained the end of the quiet suburb, still 
maintaining his distance, and scanned the 
landscape in front. Evening was descending 
fast. To his right he saw the water of a 
broad canal glimmering under the gray sky. 
Straight before him the highroad ran, with- 
out so much as a tree to shelter him for miles. 
On the horizon a score of windmills waved 
their arms like beckoning ghosts. He was a 
good swimmer. It flashed upon him that his 
one hope was to make for the canal and strike 
for the further bank. There was a reasonable 
chance of shaking off one or more of his pur- 
suers by this device. 

He leaped the narrow ditch that ran parallel 
with the road and began to bear across the 
green meadows in a line which verged toward 
the canal bank at an angle sufficiently acute 
to prevent his foes from intercepting him by a 
short cut. By their shouts he judged that his 


THE TRIBULATIONS OF TRISTRAM. 


225 


guess was fairly correct, and the prospect of 
having to swim the canal daunted him some- 
what. He looked over his shoulder. The 
pace had told upon three of them, but one 
man had actually gained on him and could 
not be more than twenty strides behind. 

“ I shall have to settle with this fellow,” he 
thought. “ He is going to catch me up before 
I reach the bank.” 

His first wind was failing him, and his heart 
began to thump against his ribs. He spied a 
beaten path at this point that trended across 
the meadow at a blunter angle than the one 
he was following. Almost unconsciously he 
began to reason as follows : 

“ A beaten path is usually the shortest cut ; 
also, to follow it is usually to escape the risk 
of meeting unforeseen obstacles. If, however, 
I change the angle at which I am running for 
one more obtuse, I give my pursurer the ad- 
vantage of ten yards or so. Yes, but I shorten 
the distance to be covered, and moreover this 
is a long-distance man and he is wearing me 
down.” 

Though this process of reasoning appeared 
to him deliberate enough, in point of fact he 


226 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


had worked it out and put the conclusion into 
practice in a couple of bounds. As he darted 
aside and along the footpath he could hear the 
momentary break in his antagonist’s stride. 

Tristram had hardly turned into this foot- 
path, however, before he saw the occasion of it. 
Just before him lay a plank, and beneath the 
plank a sunken dyke dividing the meadow so 
unexpectedly that, at fifty yards’ distance, the 
green lips seemed one continuous stretch of 
turf. And yet the dyke was a full forty feet 
wide. He leapt on to the swaying bridge and 
across to the further edge, almost without a 
glance down at the sluggish black water under 
his feet. 

It is probable that his sudden weight jolted 
the plank out of its proper position. For 
hardly was he safe upon turf again when he 
heard a sharp cry. Throwing a look behind, 
he saw his pursuer totter, clutch at the slip- 
ping timber and, still clutching at it, turn a 
somersault and disappear. 

Tristram ran on. Then a series of shouts 
rang in his ear, and he looked behind again. 
The other three men had come up and were 
running aimlessly to and fro upon the further 


THE TRIBULATIONS OF TRISTRAM. 


227 


bank. From the pit at their feet rose a gurg- 
ling and heart-rending appeal for help. It 
was plain the poor fellow was drowning, and 
equally plain that his comrades could not 
swim. Tristram took a couple of strides and 
halted. Then he faced about and walked 
back toward the dyke, his heart still knock- 
ing against his ribs. 

“ Help ! Help ! ” resounded from the depths 
of the dyke. 

“ Gentlemen,’ ’ said Tristram, “are you 
aware that your comrade is perishing ? ” 

They stared at him helplessly. Without 
more to do, he slipped off his shoes and sliding 
down the bank flung himself forward into the 
icy water. In two strokes he was able to 
grasp the drowning man by the collar and 
began to tug him toward the bank. 

But it appeared that the fellow had other 
views on the right method of being saved : for, 
casting his arms about Tristram’s neck and 
wreathing them tightly, he not only resisted 
all efforts to drag him ashore, but began to 
throttle his rescuer. In the struggle both 
went under. 

As the water closed above them, the drown- 


228 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


ing man relaxed his hold a little and Tristram , 
breaking free, rose to the surface coughing 
and spouting like a whale. Another moment, 
and a hand appeared above the water, its 
fingers hooked like a bird’s talons. This 
grisly appeal determined Tristram to make 
another attempt. He kicked out, seized the 
uplifted arm just around the wrist, and with 
half-a-dozen fierce strokes managed to gain 
the bank at the feet of his enemies. While 
he dug a hand into the soft mud and paused 
for a moment to shift his hold and draw 
breath, one of them unclasped a leathern belt 
and dangled it over the brink. Tristram 
reached out, caught it by the buckle and was 
helped up. Two pairs of strong arms grasped 
and pulled him forward, where he fell flat 
upon his face on the green turf, dropping the 
limp body from his arm as if it were a half -full 
sack that he was tired of carrying. 

“ Turn him — on his face and let the water — 
run out. Then on his back — give him air,” he 
gasped, and with that fainted clean away. 

When his eyes opened again, and his senses 
came back, he saw the three men bending over 
him. 


THE TRIBULATIONS OF TRISTRAM. 


229 


“ Where is the other one \ ” he asked feebly. 

“ Oh, Dick’s all right.” And, indeed, Dick 
was sitting up a few paces off and coughing 
violently. 

“But look here, you’ve played us a pretty 
trick ! ” the voice went on. 

Tristram did not know that his wig had been 
lost in the struggle, or that the burnt cork 
which Captain Salt had applied was now run- 
ning across his face in a general smear. He 
had forgotten all about his disguise. 

“I was thinking,” he answered simply, 
“that you might give me the start I held be- 
fore this happened. Fifteen yards, gentlemen, 
is as near as I can guess it. Don’t you think 
that would be fair ? ” 

“ But why should we chase you at all ? ” 

“ Upon my word, sirs, /don’t know. I took 
it for granted that you must have some motive.” 

“ So we had : but it appears that you are not 
Captain Salt.” 

“ That is certain. A man cannot well be his 
own father.” 

“ But you were disguised to resemble him.” 

“ Ah, I remember. It was a fancy of his to 
dress me thus, an hour back. But stop a min- 


230 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS . 


ute — I begin to perceive. Yon were after my 
father t” 

“ Yes, to arrest him. The King suspects him 
of carrying treasonable papers, which he means 
to deliver to his Majesty’s enemies.” 

As the full treachery of his father’s conduct 
began to dawn upon Tristram, they heard the 
clatter of hoofs on the road at their back, and 
turned. A thin moon hung in the twilight sky. 
It was just that hour before dark when the 
landscape looks flat to the eye, and forms at a 
little distance grow confused in outline. Yet 
they could see the horseman plainly enough to 
recognize him. It was Captain Salt who flew 
past, well out of pistol-shot, and headed south- 
ward at a stretch gallop, his hands down and 
his shoulders bent as he rode. 

“Devil seize him, if he hasn’t got my mare,” 
roared the man Dick, forgetting his cough and 
leaping to his feet. “I can tell the sorrel a 
mile away ! ” 

Then followed a dismayed silence, as they 
watched the escaping rider. 

“ She’s the best nag o’ the four, too,” one 
of the men muttered gloomily. 

“Boys,” said the fellow who had first ar- 


THE TRIBULATIONS OF TRISTRAM. 


231 


rested Tristram, “he’s done us for a certainty. 
In an hour or two he’ll reach the French 
outposts. We must go back and patch up the 
best story we can find. Young man,” he added, 
turning sharply, “I’d like to be certain you’re 
as big a fool as you make out. Where d’ye 
come from, and where are ye bound for \ ” 

Tristram told his story ingenuously enough. 

“We’ll have to search you.” 

They searched him and found a sealed 
packet. 

“What is this \ ” 

“ Pepper-cress seed.” 

“Pepper-cress seed be damned!” was the 
only comment. 

However, when the packet was opened, it 
was found that he spoke the truth. 

“ Well, we can’t take you along with us, or 
we shall have to tell his Majesty the truth, 
which is something more improbable than I 
care to risk. Moreover, you’ve saved a com- 
rade.” 

“And many thanks for it, my lad,” vDick 
added, shaking Tristram by the hand. 

“ Therefore, you’re free to go. The question 
is, where do you want to go ?” 


232 


TEE BL UE PA VIL10ES . 


“ Harwich.” 

“Harwich is a long way ; and you’ve lost 
your passport. However, there’s a chance you 
may find a boat on the coast, to smuggle you 
over. Cross the canal yonder and bear away 
to the west. There’s a road’ll take you to 
Meupoort. But first you’ll have to pass this 
cursed dyke, unless you care to follow us back 
to the town and walk round.” 

“ Thank you, no ; I’ll push on. I’ve crossed 
the dyke twice already this evening, and a 
second wetting won't matter much. Besides, 
I see my sword and shoes lying on the other 
bank.” 

He said farewell, slid down into the dyke 
again and swam across. Then, regaining his 
property, he turned, called back another 
“ good-night ! ” and bore resolutely across 
the meadow, the water squishing in his shoes 
at every step. The one purpose in his head 
was to reach the coast. He was young, and 
sick at heart ; but his gentle mind abhorred 
from considering his father’s baseness. He 
thought only of home and Sophia. 

In a minute or two he began to run, for the 
night air searched his sodden clothes and chilled 


THE TRIBULATIONS OF TRISTRAM. 


233 


him. The sky was starless, too, but he saw the 
dull gleam of the canal and made for it ; then 
he followed the towpath southward for half a 
mile and came to the bridge, and, crossing it, 
found himself upon a firm highroad leading, 
as it seemed, straight toward the west ; for it 
certainly diverged from the canal at something 
like a right angle. Unfortunately, Tristram 
could not see, in the gloom, that the canal here 
took a sharp bend inland ; and in consequence 
he tramped on with his face set due south, noth- 
ing doubting of his direction, but hoping, as 
each hour passed, that the next would bring 
him within sound of the surf. The road was 
straight for mile after mile. JSTow and again 
he passed a small cabaret brightly lit and merry 
with a noise of talk and laughter that warmed 
his heart for a moment. In the stretches of 
darkness between, he met one or two wayfar- 
ers, who wished him “ good-night ” in gruff 
voices and passed on. Not understanding what 
they said he made no reply, but pushed for- 
ward briskly, breaking into a run whenever 
the cold began to creep upon him. By and by 
the road was completely deserted. The lights 
no longer shone from the lower floors of the 


234 


TEE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


wayside cottages, but after lingering for awhile 
in the bedroom windows, vanished altogether. 
The whole country slept. Then followed hour 
after hour of dogged walking. A thick haze 
encircled the moon, and under it a denser exha- 
lation began to creep up from the sodden land. 
In the silence the fog gathered, till it seemed 
to bar the way like a regiment of white ghosts, 
wavering and closing its ranks as the wind 
stirred over the levels. This wind breathed on 
his right cheek steadily. He never guessed that 
it came from the sea, nor remembered that when 
he ran toward the canal it had been blowing 
full in his face. 

It was in the chilliest hour — the one before 
dawn — that a voice suddenly called out from 
the fog ahead : 

“ Qui va la?” 

Tristram halted, then took another step for- 
ward in some uncertainty. 

The voice repeated its challenge in an 
angrier tone : and this time our hero stood 
stock still. 

The misfortune was that he knew not a word 
of the French language. 

Once more the voice called. Then a trigger 


THE TRIBULATIONS OF TRISTRAM. 


235 


clicked, a yellow flame leapt out on the fog 
with a roar, and something sang by Tristram 5 s 
ear. He leapt off the road and pelted across 
the meadow to his right ; a second shot was 
sent after him, but this time very wide of its 
mark. Then, as it seemed at his very feet, a 
dozen black forms rose out of the earth. He 
tripped over one and went floundering on to 
his nose. As his hands touched the ground, a 
score of bright sparks flew up and were ex- 
tinguished. With a cry of pain he rolled 
upon his back and was at once pinned to the 
ground by a dozen hands. 

He had blundered full -tilt across the embers 
of a French camp-fire. 

A lantern was lit and thrust close to his 
face. He blinked painfully for a moment or 
two and then perceived that he lay within a 
circle of fierce, gray-coated soldiers who were 
putting him a score of questions in a tongue 
which (he felt sure) it would take him a year 
to master. 

He endeavored to say so. 

“ Ar-r-rh ! ” exclaimed one of the soldiers, 
spitting contemptuously, “ c'est un Anglais” 

“ Espion! ” 


236 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


u Ten reponds .” He gave an order, and in 
a trice Tristram’s wrists were snapped together 
with a handkerchief. Then he was heaved up 
on his feet and a couple of men took him, each 
by an arm. They were about to march him 
off, when a voice hailed them, and up rode a 
general officer, with two dragoons cantering 
behind him for escort. 

“ Qv? y-a-t-il, mes enfants?” He had 
plainly been disturbed by the noise of the 
firing. 

The soldiers murmured “M. de Soissons ! ” 
and presented arms. Then they explained 
matters and thrust Tristram forward, holding 
the lantern uncomfortably near his face. 

M. de Soissons began an interrogatory in 
good French. As the prisoner shook his head, 
he harked back and repeated his questions in 
extremely bad English. Tristram answered 
them truthfully, which had the effect of rais- 
ing disbelief in M. de Soissons’ breast. After 
ten minutes this disbelief grew to such an ex- 
tent that the peppery officer turned to the 
sergeant and cried : 

“ Take him off to the barn and shut him up 
with the deserters ! ” 


THE TRIBULATIONS OF TRISTRAM. 237 

The barn lay a mile to the rear, across half 
a dozen meadows, over which Tristram was 
hurried at a quick trot, with the point of a 
bayonet at his back to discountenance delay. 
On arriving at the building he was held while 
the sergeant unlocked the door. Then he was 
kicked into inner darkness. He stumbled 
over the legs of a man, who cursed him volu- 
bly ; and dropped on to a heap of straw. 
Within ten minutes he was asleep, utterly 
worn out both in body and mind. 

Three hours passed, and then the door of 
the barn was flung open and another sergeant 
appeared with a squad of soldiers at his back. 
He strode through the barn kicking the 
sleepers, among whom was our hero. Tris- 
tram sat up and rubbed his eyes. He was one 
of at least three dozen poor wretches, hollow- 
eyed, lean of cheek and shivering with famine, 
whom the sergeant proceeded to kick into a 
small crowd near the entrance. Having thus 
driven his flock into a small compass, he 
shouted an order which was repeated outside. 
Six men appeared, each carrying a load of 
chains. With these he fastened his prisoners 
together, two and two, by the wrist and 


238 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


ankle, and marched them out into the open 
air. 

Outside the rain was descending sullenly, 
and in this downpour the captives waited for a 
mortal hour. Then three men came along, 
bearing trays heaped with thick hunks of 
brown bread. One was doled out to each of 
the gang and Tristram ate his portion greed- 
ily, slaking his thirst afterward by sucking 
at the sleeve of his cloak. He had hardly 
done when the sergeant gave the word to 
march. 

That day they tramped steadily till sunset, 
when they reached the town of Courtrai, and 
were halted on the outskirts. Here they 
remained for half an hour in the road while 
the sergeant sought for quarters. Tristram’s 
comrade — that is to say, the man who was 
attached to him by the wrist and ankle — was 
sulky and extremely dejected. As for Tris- 
tram, his very soul shuddered as he looked 
back upon the journey. He was wet to the 
skin and aching ; his teeth chattered with an 
ague ; his legs were so weary that he could 
scarcely drag them along. But worse than 
the shiverings, the weariness, and the weight 


THE TRIBULATIONS OF TRISTRAM. 


239 


of his fetters, were the revolting sights he had 
witnessed along the road — men dropping with 
hunger and faintness, kicked to their feet 
again, prodded with bayonets till the blood 
ran, knouted with a thick whip if they broke 
step, jeered at when they shrieked (as some 
did) for mercy. There was worse to come, and 
he alone of the gang was ignorant of it. 
Merciful was the confusion of tongues which 
hid that knowledge from him for a few hours. 

At length they were marched back half a 
mile and turned into a barn — narrower than 
their shelter of the previous night. Nor was 
there any straw in it. They slept on the hard 
bricks, pillowing their heads on each other’s 
legs, or lay awake and listened to each other’s 
moans. Two sentries with loaded muskets 
kept guard by the door and looked in when- 
ever a chain clanked or some unfortunate 
began to rave in his sleep. Before morning a 
third of the gang was down with rheumatic 
fever or typhus. At six o’clock the sergeant 
entered and examined them. Then he retired 
and came back in another hour with a covered 
wagon into which the sick were hoisted and 
jGacked like herrings in a barrel. All who 


240 


THE BL UE PA VILI0N8 . 


had power to move their legs were afterward 
turned out and treated to a pound and a half 
of the “ King’s bread” and a drink of water 
before starting. Tristram was one of these. 
The fever had relieved him of his companion, 
and this day he marched with more comfort, 
albeit his wrists were bound together and a 
rope of ten yards or more tied him by the 
wrist to a couple of fettered deserters in front. 

The w r eather had lifted somewhat ; but the 
roads were still heavy, and their pace was 
regulated by the covered wagon, which 
seemed to loiter malevolently, as if to get 
every possible jolt out of the rutted highway. 
With every jolt came a scream from one or 
more of the sick men inside. Some, however, 
were past screaming, and babbled continu- 
ously in high delirium ; and the ceaseless, 
monotonous talk of these tortured Tristram’s 
ears from Courtrai to Lille. 

They reached Lille long after dark and were 
driven through the streets, between the bright 
windows of happier men, to the gloomy tower 
of Saint Pierre, that at this time was set apart 
for galley slaves. On entering the prison they 
were marshaled in a long corridor, where 


THE TRIBULATIONS OF TRISTRAM. 


241 


a couple of jailers searched them all over. 
Nothing was found on Tristram but his packet 
of pepper-cress seed, which the searchers 
obligingly returned. As soon as this cere- 
mony was over, all who were not broken with 
fever were led up two flights of stone stairs. 
An iron door was opened, and the sound of 
heavy snoring struck their ears. Inside they 
perceived, by the light of the jailer’s lantern, a 
dozen figures stretched on straw pallets, and 
between the sleepers as many more empty 
couches, for which they were left to scramble. 
Tristram secured one as the door clanged, 
leaving them in pitch-black night, but gave it 
up to a pitiful wretch who crept near and, 
kissing his hand, implored leave to share it. 
Curling himself up upon the bare floor, he was 
quickly asleep and dreaming of Sophia. 

A hand shook his shoulder and aroused him. 

Looking up he saw a couple of villainous 
faces which he did not recognize as belonging 
to the gang he had been walking with for two 
days. It was morning, as he could perceive 
by the light that was streaming through a 
cobwebbed grating over his head. 

The two men demanded if he wished to be 


242 


THE BL VE PA VILIONS. 


tossed in a blanket ; Tristram, not understand- 
ing, shook his head. They thereupon 
demanded money and began to threaten. 
Tristram hit one violently in the eye, and 
catching the other by the throat, pounded his 
head against the wall of the dungeon. He 
was surprised at the strength left in him, and 
also at a fury which he had never felt before 
in his life. A few of the prisoners roused them- 
selves listlessly and laughed. He kicked the 
two fellows out of the way and lay down again. 

Later in the morning he witnessed the game 
they had meant to play with him. One of his 
comrades, a wretched boy, blue with starva- 
tion, denied them money for the simple reason 
that he had none in his pocket. Four of the 
old hands thereupon produced a filthy coun- 
terpane of coarse cloth and stretched their 
victim upon it. Then each took a corner and, 
raising it as high as they could reach, they let 
it fall on the stone flooring with a horrible 
thud. Tristram leapt forward and caught one 
of these ruffians a blow on the back of the 
neck that sent him down like an ox. Upon 
this, the other three dropped their sport and 
fell upon him like angry women, tooth and 


THE TRIBULATIONS OF TRISTRAM. 


243 


nail. Nobody interfered. He was driven 
back against the wall, where he leant, just 
contriving to keep his adversaries at arm’s 
length with his fists, and feeling, now that the 
first spurt of wrath had left him, that within 
three minutes he must faint from very hunger 
and weakness. 

There is no knowing how the affair would 
have ended had not the door been thrown 
open at this moment. A couple of priests 
advanced between the files of prisoners, who 
sat up at once and began to howl out a dismal 
litany at the top of their lungs. Tristram’s 
assailants left him hurriedly, and slinking back 
to their pallets, began to lift their voices with 
the rest. The noise was like that of a cats’ 
battle, and the priests marched to and fro 
while it continued, smiling to left and right, 
and exhorting the poor devils to an increase 
of fervor. One of them spied Tristram and 
whispered to his brother, and the pair seemed 
inclined to address him, when three jailers 
entered with large trays, bearing the prisoners’ 
breakfast. The litany ceased and every man 
regarded these trays with a wolf’s hunger in 
his eyes. 


244 


THE BLUE PA VI LIONS. 


It proved to be the best meal that Tristram 
had swallowed since his misfortunes began, 
there being a pint of soup to each man, in 
addition to the usual brown bread. After 
devouring it, Tristram sat with his back to the 
wall, wondering if the three ruffians would 
renew their attack ; but they appeared to have 
forgotten their resentment and even his pres- 
ence. Some of his fellow-miserables fell to 
chatting ; others to plaiting ropes out of the 
straw on which they lay; while some occu- 
pied themselves in keeping a lookout for the 
rats that swarmed everywhere and stole out in 
the dim light to gnaw the pieces of bread which 
the prisoners saved and hid away for future 
use. 

About four in the afternoon, the great door 
was flung open again and the chief jailer ap- 
peared, with four turnkeys and the soldiers of 
the prison guard, all armed to the teeth with 
pistols, swords, and bayonets. Their object, 
it turned out, was to examine the four walls 
and the floor very minutely, to see if the pris- 
oners were making any holes or planning any 
attempt to escape. They spent a full half an 
hour in routing out the prisoners and search* 


THE TRIBULATIONS OF TRISTRAM. 


245 


ing high and low with their lanterns, using 
great roughness and the most abominable talk. 

Tristram watched their movements for some 
time ; but at length curled himself up in his 
corner, which had been already explored. He 
was closing his eyes and putting a finger in 
each ear, to shut out the riot, when a smart 
blow descended across his thighs. 

One of the soldiers stood over him and was 
belaboring him with the flat of a sword, as a 
hint to stand up. 

Tristram did so, and now observed that a 
dozen of the men with whom he had marched 
during the two previous days were collected 
in a little group by the door. He was taken 
by the arms and hustled forward to join them. 
As he came close and could see their faces in 
the dingy twilight, he saw also that, though 
big, strapping fellows, the most of them were 
weeping, and shivering like conies in a trap. 

He was still wondering at the cause of their 
agitation, when the jailer reopened the door 
and they were marched out down the stone 
stairs, then sharply to the right and along a 
narrow corridor. A lamp flickered at the far- 
ther end, over a small door studded with iron 


246 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS . 


nails ; and before this door another small com- 
pany of soldiers was drawn up in two rows of 
six each, with their backs to either wall of the 
corridor. Between these the prisoners were 
forced to defile, still cringing and weeping, as 
the small door opened and they passed into the 
chamber beyond. 

And now for the first time Tristram felt a 
chill run down his spine. The chamber was 
narrow and lofty, and without any window 
that he could perceive. But just now it was 
full of a red light that poured out through the 
eyes of a charcoal brazier in the far corner. 
Two grim figures in leather aprons stood over 
this brazier, with the glare on their brutal 
faces — the one puffing with a pair of bellows 
till the room was filled with suffocating vapors, 
the other diving a lot of irons into the glowing 
center, wherein one or two already glowed at 
a red heat. 

Beside them, and watching their operations 
with a businesslike air, stood a gentleman in 
a handsome suit and plumed hat. 

“ Premiere four nee ! ” announced the ser- 
geant in a loud tone, marshaling the prisoners 
along the wall. Four or five of them had by 


THE TRIBULATIONS OF TRISTRAM. 


247 


this time broken out into loud sobs and cries 
of mercy. The gentleman scarcely turned his 
head, but continued to watch the heating of 
the irons. 

At length, satisfied that all was ready, he 
turned and walked in front of the line, exam- 
ining each prisoner attentively, and with an 
absolutely impassive face. 

Coming to Tristram — who by this time was 
committing his fate to Heaven — he paused for 
a moment, and, beckoning the sergeant, put a 
question or two. The sergeant shrugged his 
shoulders and spread out both palms apologet- 
ically. Then the gentleman addressed a sen- 
tence to Tristram, and receiving no answer but 
a shake of the head, cast about for a moment 
and began again in English. 

“ You are Englishman ?” 

“ Yes, sir.” 

“ Not French deserter ?” 

“ Certainly not.” 

“ Then what the devil do you do here ? ” 

This was a question that seemed to require a 
deal of answering. While Tristram was per- 
pending how best to begin, his interrogator 
spoke again : 


248 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS . 


“Speak out. I am M. de Lambertie, Grand 
Provost of Flanders : you bad better speak me 
tbe truth.” 

Our hero began a recital of his woes, con- 
densing as well as he could. After a minute 
M. de Lambertie interrupted him. 

“ I beg your pardon. I speak the English 
ver’ well : but mordieu if I can comprehend a 
word as you speak it. Tenez done! You are 
a spy?” 

“ Not a bit.” 

“Well, well,” said the Grand Provost, al- 
together graveled, “you must be something — 
come ! ” 

He called the sergeant again; who plainly 
could give no information, and was quite as 
plainly surprised that any fuss should be 
made over an affair so trivial. Indeed, the ser- 
geant ventured to suggest that Tristram should 
be branded, on the off-chance of its turning 
out for his good. 

“ But no,” said M. de Lambertie. “ I am a 
man of justice and of logic. It is incredible 
that a youth who cannot speak a word but 
English should be a deserter from our Maj- 
esty’s army. Moreover, I am a physiognomist, 


THE TRIBULATIONS OF TRISTRAM. 249 

and liis face is honest. Therefore,” concluded 
the man of logic, 4 ‘he shall go to the galleys.” 

This was interpreted to Tristram ; who 
found the argument fallacious, but fell on his 
knees and kissed M. de Lambertie’s hand. 

“Take him away,” said the Grand Provost. 

He was dragged to his feet and led to the 
door, followed by the desperate eyes of his 
comrades. He heard their sobs and outcries 
renewed, above the steady pant of the bellows. 
Then the door clanged. The soldiers took him 
upstairs and cast him back into the great 
dungeon. 

The next morning he started in a chain of 
thirty-five slaves for the galleys at Dunkirk. 


CHAPTER XL 


THE GALLEY “ L’ HEURETTSE. ” 

The archers, or constables, in charge of the 
slaves, took them through Ypres and Furnes ; 
and as the distance is about twelve leagues, it 
was not till the third day that Tristram saw 
the spires and fortifications of Dunkirk rising 
against the blue sea. But in that time he 
learnt much, being tied to a brisk, rotund 
Burgundian, the cheerful lest of the gang, who 
had made two campaigns with the English 
foot-guards in Turenne’s time, and had picked 
up a smattering of their language. He knew, 
at any rate, enough English to teach Tristram 
the rudiments of French on the road ; and 
gave him much information that went far to 
alter his notions of the world. 

Tristram was deeply shocked at the sight of 
one or two of the men whom he had left in the 
hands of M. de Lambertie. He now ceased to 

wonder at the agony of apprehension they had 
260 


THE GALLEY “L’HEUREUSE. 


251 


exhibited, and, while compassionating their 
horrible case, did not forget to thank God for 
having interposed to save him from a similar 
fate. 

“Ah, yes,” said his comrade tranquilly; 
“ they are deserters. Formerly they used to 
have their noses cut off, as well as their ears ; 
but this was found to breed infection, and 
now they are merely slit, besides, of course, 
being branded with the flower-de-luce on 
either cheek. But what matters their appear- 
ance to them, seeing that their sentence is for 
life ? ” 

Tristram shuddered. “This king of yours,” 
said he, “must be first-cousin to the devil.” 

“They are all alike, mon cJier. What, for 
instance, has your king done for you ? But 
speak not so loud.” He took a few steps in 
silence and added. “After all, one must dis- 
tinguish between crimes. If the poor faus- 
soniers are treated to the galleys, it is ab- 
surd to suppose that nothing worse must 
befall a deserter.” 

“What is a faussonier f” 

“ There is one yonder, comrade, that young 
peasant who walks like a calf and seems not 


252 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


to know whither he is bound. He is con- 
demned because he bought some salt for his 
young wife, who was ill.” 

“Is that a crime?” 

“ It depends where you buy it. You must 
know, my friend, that in most of the provinces 
of France salt is very dear. A pint will cost 
you ^four francs and a little over. Therefore 
the poor cannot afford it for their soup ; and 
some, for lack of it, go fasting most of the 
week. So they starve and languish and fall 
sick, as did this young man’s wife. But in 
my native Burgundy — blessed be its name — 
and also in the country of Doube, salt is cheap 
enough. Now this young man dwelt close on 
the frontier of Burgundy. I have seen him 
times and again at the vintage work ; and 
because he was very fond of his wife, and 
could not bear to see her die, he ventured 
across the frontier to buy salt cheaply; and 
being taken, he has been condemned to the 
galleys for six years. In the meantime his 
wife will perish. But the king’s taxes must 
be paid ; else, how shall we exterminate his 
enemies ? ” 

“But,” Tristram exclaimed, trembling with 


THE GALLEY ‘ * L ’HE URE USE. 


253 


indignation, “how can you be cheerful in 
this fearful land?” 

“ What ? I ? Well I am cheerful, to begin 
with, because my nose is not slit.” 

“ That appears to me a very slight reason.” 

“ You would not say so if you had run so 
near it as I.” 

“ Are you a deserter, then ? ” 

“Thanks for good opinion, comrade! No, 
I was never guilty of disloyalty to King 
Louis. But I killed my wife’s mother, par- 
dieu! which the judge seemed to think 
almost as vile, till I sent a friend to grease 
his palm with the last sou of my patrimony. 
And, by good fortune, it became greasy 
enough to let me slip out of the worst.” 

“A murderer ! ” gasped our innocent youth, 
drawing away from his side. 

“ She was talkative,” the little man ex- 
plained with composure. “But let us con- 
verse on other subjects. Only, let me warn 
you that on board the galleys, whither we are 
bound, a man can recoil from his neighbors 
but just so far as his chain allows.” 

In such converse they beguiled the way, 
talking low whenever an archer drew near, 


254 


THE LL UE PA VI LIONS. 


and whispering together at night until they 
dropped asleep in the filthy stables where 
they were packed, their chain secured at 
either end to the wall, and so tightly that 
they had barely liberty to lie down, and none 
to turn, or even stir in their sleep. By de- 
grees Tristram grew even to like his volatile 
and disreputable comrade, whose conscience 
was none of his own growing, but of the laws 
he lived under. 

On reaching Dunkirk, however, they were 
parted, Tristram being assigned to the galley 
If Heureuse, while the Burgundian was told 
off to the Merveille , then commanded by the 
Chevalier de Saint Croix. 

“You are in luck, comrade,” he said, as 
they parted under the Bice-bank fort, beside 
the pier; “ If Heureuse is the commodore’s 
galley, and the only one in which a poor devil 
of a slave has an awning above his head to 
keep the rain and sun off. Ah, what it is to 
have six feet of stature and a pair of 
shoulders ! ” 

It turned out as he said. If Heureuse, com- 
manded by the Commodore de la Pailletine, 
was the head of a squadron of six galleys then 


THE GALLEY * * L ’HE URE USE. 


255 


quartered in the port of Dunkirk. But it is 
necessary here to say a word or two about 
these strange vessels, which the Count de 
Tourville had recently brought round to the 
north coast of France from Marseilles and the 
ports of the Mediterranean. They were nar- 
row craft, ranging from a hundred and 
twenty to a hundred and fifty feet long, and 
from eighteen to twenty feet by the beam. 
In the hold they were not more than seven feet 
deep ; so that, with a full crew on board, the 
deck stood less than a couple of feet from the 
water’s edge ; for the number of men they 
held was prodigious. The commodore’s gal- 
ley alone was manned by three hundred and 
thirty-six slaves and a hundred and fifty men 
of all sorts, either officers, soldiers, seamen, or 
servants. This, however, was the biggest com- 
plement of all; for, while If Heureuse had 
fifty-six oars, with six slaves to tug at each, 
none of the rest carried more than fifty, with 
five rowers apiece. The prow of each galley 
was of iron, pointed like a beak, and so sharp 
that, when rowed at full speed against a hos- 
tile ship, it was like to sink her, or at least to 
drive deep and hold on while the boarders 


256 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


poured up and over her side. In addition to 
this formidable weapon, each carried four guns 
right forward in the prow, besides a heavier 
piece which was worked on a circular plat- 
form amidships, and, when not required for 
service, was stowed by the mainmast for bal- 
last. Each galley had two masts, though they 
were next to useless ; for it is easy to see that 
vessels so laden and open at the decks were fit 
only for the lightest breezes, and in foul 
weather must run to harbor for their lives. 

Before embarking in the boat which was to 
take him on board this undesirable vessel, 
Tristram was led up to the Rice-bank, where a 
barber obligingly shaved his head, and where 
he was forced to exchange the suit he wore for 
a coarse canvas frock, a canvas shirt, and a 
little jerkin of red serge, sleeveless, and slit 
on either side up to the armholes. The design 
of this (as a warder explained to him) was to 
allow his muscles free play, which Tristram 
pronounced very considerate, repeating his re- 
mark when he received a small scarlet cap to 
keep the cold from his shorn head. He was 
next offered a porringer of soup, consisting 
chiefly of oil, with a dozen lentils floating 


THE GALLEY “ L'HEUREUSE : 


257 


on the top ; and having consumed it, was 
towed off, to be introduced to his new com- 
panions. On considering his circumstances he 
found but one which could be called consoling. 
It was that he had been allowed to retain and 
stow in his waist-belt his little packet of pep- 
per-cress seed — a favor for which he thanked 
his persecutors with tears in his eyes. 

It happened that his galley was bound, that 
afternoon, on a cruise of a few miles along the 
coast, and indeed was lifting anchor as he was 
hauled up the side. He had, therefore, but a 
hasty view of his surroundings before he was 
chained to his bench, facing the great oar. 
He saw only a long pit, as it were, crossed by 
row upon row of white, desperate faces, that- 
stared at him incuriously. Down the middle, 
by the ends of the benches, ran a gangway, 
along which three overseers paced leisurely, 
each with a tall, flexible wand in his hand. 
The stench in the place was overpowering, and 
Tristram was on the point of swooning, when 
the fellow who was chained beside him growled 
a word of advice : 

“ Look sharp, and slip your jacket off.” 

Tristram obeyed without understanding. 


258 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


He saw that all the figures around him were 
naked to the waist, and therefore pulled off 
shirt as well as jacket— but not quickly 
enough to prevent a stroke, which hissed 
down on his shoulders and made him set his 
teeth with anguish. The man beside him 
grumbled out a curse. He, too, had felt the 
cut, or part of it ; for the overseer’s wand did 
not discriminate. 

The handle of the great oar swung toward 
Tristram. Noting how his neighbor’s hands 
were laid upon it, and copying his example, 
he began to tug with the rest, rising from his 
bench and falling back upon it at each stroke ; 
and at the end of each stroke, when ordinarily 
a boat’s oars rattle briskly against the thole- 
pins, the time was marked with a loud clash 
of chains and often enough with a sharp cry 
from some poor wretch who had been caught 
lagging and thwacked across the bare shoul- 
ders. The fatigue after a time grew intolera- 
bly heavy. While the sun smote down 
through the awning, the heat of their exercise 
seemed never to pass up through it, but beat 
back upon their faces in sickening waves, stop- 
ping their breath. Of the world outside their 


THE GALLEY “L ’HEUREUSE." 


259 


den they could see nothing but a small patch 
of blue sea beyond the hole in which the oar 
worked. The sweat poured off their chests 
and backs in streams, until their waistbands 
clung to their flesh like soaked sponges. 
Some began to moan and sob ; others again 
broke out into frightful imprecations, cursing 
their Maker and the hour of their birth. And 
while the oars swung and the chains clashed 
and the cries redoubled their volume, the 
three keepers moved imperturbably up and 
down the gangway, flicking their whips to 
left and right and drawing blood at every 
second stroke. At length, when Tristram’s 
head was reeling and the backs of the bench- 
ful just in front were melting before his eyes 
and swimming in a blood-red haze, the order 
was yelled to easy. The men dropped their 
faces forward on the oars and rested them 
there while they panted and coughed, catching 
the breath again into their heaving bodies. 
Then one or two began to laugh and utter 
some poor drolleries ; presently the sound 
spread ; and within three minutes the whole 
pit was full of chatter and uproar. They 
seemed to forget their miseries, even 


260 


THE BL UE PA VI LIONS. 


while they wiped the blood off their 
shoulders. 

And now, while the cold wind began to 
creep underneath the awning and dry the 
sweat around their loins, Tristram had time to 
take stock of his companions and even to ask a 
question or two of the slave that had spoken 
to him. They were all stalwart fellows, the 
commodore having the pick of all the formats 
drafted to his port, and exercising it with 
some care, because he prided himself on the 
speed of his vessel. Not a few wore the 
ghastly red flower-de-luce on their cheeks, 
which he now knew for the mark of deserters, 
murderers, and the more flagrant criminals ; 
others, he learnt, were condemned for the pet- 
tiest thefts, and a large proportion for having 
no better taste than to belong to the Protest- 
ant religion. The man beside him, for in- 
stance, was a poor Huguenot from Perigord, 
who had been caught on the frontier in the act 
of escaping to a country in which he had a 
slightly better chance of calling his soul his 
own. All these were white men ; but at the 
end of each bench, next the gangway, sat a 
Turk or Moor. These were bought slaves, 


THE GALLEY “L’HEUREUSE. 


261 


procured expressly to manage the stroke of 
the oar, and, for their skill, treated somewhat 
better than the Christians. They earned the 
same pay as soldiers and were not chained, 
like other slaves, to the benches, but carried 
only a ring on the foot as a badge of servitude. 
Indeed, when not engaged in service, they en- 
joyed a certain amount of liberty, being 
allowed to go on shore and trade, purchasing 
meat for such of the white men as had any 
money, or were willing to earn some by clear- 
ing their neighbors’ clothes of vermin — a com- 
mon trade on board these galleys, where the 
confined space, the dirt and profuse sweating 
at the oar, bred all manner of loathsome pests. 

It was by degrees that Tristram learnt all 
this, as, during the week that followed, he 
found time to chat with the Huguenot and im- 
prove his acquaintance with the French tongue. 
By night he was provided with a board, a foot 
and a half broad, on which to stretch himself ; 
and as he lay pretty far aft, was warned 
against indulging in the luxury of scratching 
himself, lest the rattle of his chains should 
disturb the officers, whose quarters were di- 
vided from the slaves’ by the thinnest of 


262 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


wooden partitions. By day, indeed, these 
officers, as well as the chaplain, had the use of 
the commodore’s room, a fairly spacious cham- 
ber in the stern, shaped on the outside like a 
big cradle, with bulging windows and a couple 
of lanterns on the taffrail above, that were lit 
when evening closed in. But at night, or in 
foul weather, M. de la Pailletine reserved the 
apartment for his own use. 

At six o’clock every morning the slaves were 
roused up and began their day with prayers, 
which the chaplain conducted, taking partic- 
ular care that the Huguenots were hearty in 
their responses. The Turks — or vogue-avants , 
as they were called — were never molested on 
the score of religion ; but while Mass was say- 
ing, were put out of the galley into a long- 
boat, where they diverted themselves by smok- 
ing and talking till the Christians were through 
with their exercises. 

When these were done, the portion of bis- 
cuit — pretty good, though coarse — was doled 
out to each man, and at ten o’clock a porringer 
of soup : also, on days when the galleys were 
taken for a cruise, each slave received some- 
thing less than a pint of wine, morning and 


THE GALLEY “L’HEUBEUSE.” 


263 


evening, to keep np Ms strength. But it 
must not be imagined from this that their 
work was light during the rest of the week. 
When the weather kept them in harbor, all 
such as knew any useful trade were taken off 
the galley to the town of Dunkirk and then 
set to work under guard, some at the making 
of new clothes, or the repairing of old ones, 
others at carpentry, plumbing, or shoemak- 
ing ; others again at repairing the fortifica- 
tions ; and so on — thus allowing room for the 
residue to scrub out the galley, wash down 
benches and decks, and set all ship-shape and 
in order : of which residue Tristram was one, 
being versed in no trade but that of gardening, 
for which there seemed to be no demand. But 
at length, having an eye for color, he was 
given a paint-pot and brushes, slung over the 
galley’s stern and set to work to touch up the 
window-frames of the commodore’s cabin. 
The position was uncomfortable at first, since 
the board on which he was slung was but eight 
inches wide, and the galley’s stern rose to a 
considerable height above the water. Looking 
down, he reflected that with the heavy chain 
on his leg he was safe to drown if he slipped ; 


264 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


and in spite of his miserable situation he had 
not the least desire to die, being full of trust 
in Providence and assured that, as long as he 
lived, there would always be a chance of re- 
gaining his beloved Sophia. And pretty soon 
he grew to delight in the work, not for its own 
sake alone, but because it separated him for a 
time from the sight of his companions and 
their misery. The paint was blue, which re- 
minded him of the Pavilions at home, and he 
began to throw his soul into the job ; with the 
result that the commodore expressed much 
satisfaction with it and gave him instructions 
to repaint the whole of the stern, including the 
magnificent board with the inscription U Heu- 
reuse in gilt letters, and the royal arms of 
France surrounded with decorations in the 
flamboyant style. 

Thus it happened that, one fine morning in 
the middle of June, he was hanging out over 
the stern in his usual posture, and having fin- 
ished the letters & Hen, took a look around on 
the brightness of the day, before dipping his 
brush and starting again. The galley with her 
five consorts lay in the Royal Basin, under the 
citadel and a mile in from the open sea, toward 


THE GALLEY “ L’HEUREUSE. 


265 


which the long lines of the pier extended, its 
tall forts dominating the sand-dunes that 
stretched away to right and left. The sands 
shone, the sea was a bright blue edged with 
silver where its breakers touched the shore, 
across which a northerly breeze came sweeping 
inward and hummed in the galley’s rigging as 
it flew by. From the streets of Dunkirk 
sounded the cheerful bustle of the morning’s 
business ; and, as Tristram glanced up at the 
glistening spire of the Jesuits’ church, its 
clock struck out eleven o’clock, as merrily as 
if it played a tune. 

It was just at this moment, as he turned to 
dip his brush, that he caught sight of a small 
boat approaching across the Basin. It was 
rowed 'by a waterman, and in the stern-sheets 
there sat a figure, the sight of which caused 
Tristram’s heart to stop beating for a moment 
and then to resume at a gallop. He caught 
hold of the rope by which he hung and looked 
again. 

Beyond a doubt it was his father, Roderick 
Salt. 

Now just as Tristram underwent this 
shock of surprise, from a point about three 


266 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


yards above his head another person was 
watching the boat with some curiosity. This 
was the commodore, M. de la Pailletine, who 
stood on the poop with his feet planted wide 
and his hands clasped beneath his coat-tails. 
He was wondering who his visitor could be. 

Captain Salt was elegantly dressed, and the 
cloak thrown back from his broad chest re- 
vealed a green suit, thick with gold lace, and 
a white waistcoat also embroidered with gold. 
The bullion twinkled in the sunshine as the 
boat drew near, and, crossing under Tris- 
tram’s dangling heels, dropped alongside the 
galley. And as it passed, the son, looking 
straight beneath him, determined in his heart 
that, bad as his present plight might be, he 
would endure it rather than trust himself 
in his father’s hands again. The captain 
stepped briskly up the ladder and gained the 
galley’s deck. He had given the young man 
a glance and no more. It was not wonderful 
that he had failed to recognize in the youn g for- 
got with the shaven head and rough stubbly 
beard the son whom he had abandoned more 
than a month before. Besides, he was busy 
composing in his mind an introductory speech 


THE GALLEY ‘ ‘ L 'HE URE USE . 1 


267 


to be let off on M. de la Pailletine, in whose 
manner of receiving him he anticipated some 
little frigidity. 

However, he stepped on deck and advanced 
toward the officer on the poop with a pleasant 
smile, doffing his laced hat with one hand and 
holding forward a letter in the other. M. de 
la Pailletine took his hands from beneath his 
coat-tails and also advanced, returning the 
salute very politely. 

“The Commodore de la Pailletine, I be- 
lieve.” 

“The same, monsieur.” 

The two gentlemen regarded each other 
narrowly for an instant ; then, still smiling, 
Captain Salt presented his letter, and stood, 
tapping the deck with the toe of his square- 
pointed shoe, and looking amiably about him 
while the commodore glanced at the seal, 
broke it, and began to read. 

At the first sentence the muscles of M. de 
la Pailletine’ s forehead contracted slightly. 
“Just as I expected,” said the Englishman to 
himself, as he stole a glance. But he con- 
tinued to wear the air of good-fellowship on 
his handsome, ruddy face ; and his teeth, 


268 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


which were white as milk and quite even, 
showed all the time. 

Meanwhile the commodore’s brow did not 
clear. He was a tall man, of beautiful man- 
ners and a singularly urbane demeanor ; but 
he could not hide the annoyance which this 
letter caused him. He finished it, turned ab- 
ruptly to the beginning and read it through 
again ; then looked at Captain Salt with a 
shade of severity on his face. 

“ Sir,” he said, in a carefully regulated 
voice, “ you may count on my obeying his 
Majesty’s commands to the letter.” He laid 
some stress on the two words “commands” 
and “letter.” 

“I thank you, monsieur,” answered the 
Englishman, without allowing himself to show 
that he perceived this. 

|* “I am ordered” — again the word “ordered” 
was slightly emphasized — “ I am ordered to 
make you welcome on board my galley. There- 
fore I must ask you to consider yourself at 
home here for so long as it may please you to 
stay.” 

He bowed again, but very stiffly ; nor did he 
offer to shake hands. Captain Salt regarded 


THE GALLE Y “ L ’ HE URE USE . ” 269 

him with his head tilted a little to one side 
and his lips pursed up as if he was whistling 
silently. As a matter of fact, he was whisper- 
ing to himself, “ You shall rue this, my gen- 
tleman.” But aloud he asked the somewhat 
puzzling question : 

“ Is that all, monsieur ? ” 

“ Why, yes,” answered M. de la Pailletine, 
“except that you need have no doubt I shall 
treat you with the respect which is your due, 
or rather ” 

“ Pray proceed.” 

“ .... or rather, with the respect which 
his Majesty thinks is your due.” 

“ And which you do not.” 

£ ‘ Excuse me, sir ; I do not venture to set up 
my opinion against that of King Louis.” 

“ Yes, yes, of course : but, monsieur, I was 
trying to get at your own feelings. You do 
not think that a man who enlists against his 
own country, even on the side of its rightful 
king, can be entitled to any respect ? ” 

“Excuse me ” began the commodore; 

but Captain Salt interrupted with a gentle 
wave of the hand. 

“ Tut — tut, my dear sir ! Pray do not imag- 


270 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


ine that I resent this expression of yonr feel- 
ings. On the contrary, I am grateful to you, 
for treating me so frankly. I have consola- 
tions. Your Sovereign’’ — he pointed to the 
letter which M. de la Pailletine was folding 
up, and placing in his breast-pocket — “has a 
more intelligent sense of my merits and my 
honor.” 

“Doubtless, monsieur,” the commodore an- 
swered; “but permit me to suggest that the 
discussion of these matters is out of place on 
deck. Suffer me, therefore, to conduct you to 
my cabin, which is at your disposal while you 
choose to honor us.” 

The Englishman bowed and followed his 
host below. Nor could Tristram, who had 
heard every sentence of their conversation, feel 
sufficiently thankful that he had finished 
painting the cabin-windows three days before 
and was not obliged to expose his face to the 
chance of recognition. And yet it is doubtful 
if he would have been recognized, so direly 
had tribulation altered him. 

He finished his work for the morning with 
less care than usual, and was drawn upon deck 
shortly before the dinner hour, by which time 


THE GALLEY * 4 L ’HE URE USE. 


271 


the galley’s complement was brought on board 
for a short cruise, the wind, which was con- 
sidered something too fresh for safety, having 
subsided a little shortly after noon. As Tris- 
tram rose and fell to his oar, he heard his 
father’s voice just over his head, and then the 
commodore’s answering it. Their tones were 
not cordial ; but their feet were pacing side by 
side, and it was obvious that the Englishman 
had already, in some measure, abated the com- 
modore’ s dislike. 

Indeed, in the course of the next week, 
though Tristram had scarce a single oppor- 
tunity of observing him, he learnt enough to 
be sure that Captain Salt was making steady 
progress in the affections of the officers of the 
galley. At first there is little doubt that the 
captain was moved to capture their good-will 
from a mere vague desire, common to all men 
of his character, to stand well in the opinion 
of everybody he met. He had arrived at St. 
Germains, and had ridden thence to meet King 
James, who was returning from Calais in a 
dog’s temper over the failure of the mutinous 
ships to meet him at that port. Captain Salt 
presented the earl’s letter, and by depicting the 


272 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


mutiny in colors which his imagination sup- 
plied, laying stress on the enthusiasm of the 
crews, and declaring that the success of their 
plot was delayed rather than destroyed by the 
cunning of the usurper, he contrived to inspire 
hope again in the breast of the cantankerous 
and exiled monarch, who kept him at his side 
during the rest of the journey back to Paris 
and there introduced him to the favor of King 
Louis. The latter monarch, who happened to 
be bored, asked Captain Salt what he could do 
for him. Captain Salt, remembering the earl’s 
promise, suggested that a descent on the Eng- 
lish coast might be made from Dunkirk, if his 
Majesty were still disposed to befriend the un- 
fortunate house of Stuart. 

King Louis yawned, remembered that he 
had a certain number of galleys languishing at 
Dunkirk for want of exercise, and suggested 
that Captain Salt had better go and see for 
himself what they were likely to effect. 

Captain Salt went. His main purpose was 
to live in comfortable quarters at the King’s 
expense, while waiting for the promised letter 
from the Earl of Marlborough. 

On the eighth day after his arrival, a small 


THE GALLEY “ L ’ HEUREUSE .” 


273 


fisliing-smack with a green pennant came rac- 
ing past the two castles at the entrance of 
Dunkirk pier, slackened her main sheet, spun 
down between the forts with the wind astern, 
and cast anchor in the Royal Basin. Her 
crew then lowered a little cockle-shell of a 
dingey, which she carried inboard, and a 
tanned red-bearded man pulled straight for 
the commodore’s galley. 

He bore a letter addresed to Captain Roder- 
ick Salt. It was written in cypher, but read as 
follows : 

Dear Sir : Portland suspected you and had you followed. 
I saw his eye upon you during yr. last interview with Wil- 
liam. It was clever to get through, nor can'I discover how you 
managed it ; for the account given by your pursuers is plainly 
absurd. I’ve been turning over their cock-and-bull story, 
which finds credence here, and cannot fit it with the proba- 
bilities. Yet they seem William’s men. I find that the horse 
on which one of them returned is not the same as that upon 
which he rode away : nor does their narrative account for this. 
But the main point is that you are safe. By the way, I hope 
you have kept yr. son at your side : for I have now received 
the information about which I dropped you some hints. It 
appears that he inherits from a great-uncle (one Sylvanus 
Tellworthy) certain American estates of wch. you and a 
Captain Runacles, of Harwich, are the legal administrators. 
I fancy this has been kept from you ; and, if so, a descent 
upon Harwich may be used to furnish you with a provision for 
yr. old age. Still, there is a present danger that you may be 
declared a traitor and your goods confiscate : wch. would spoil 


274 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


all. This (since naught has been proved agst. you and the aim 
of your journey not known) you may avert by keeping yr. eyes 
open at Dunquerque and writing a report of it to Wm. Such 
a report, aptly drawn, may not only check Portland, but justify 
me, as knowing yr. intent from the start and that it was a move 
for Wm.’s good. M. 

On reading this, Captain Salt cursed several 
times, and paced the deck in meditation for 
a whole afternoon. Then a thought struck 
him. 

During the week that followed he made 
excellent progress in the affections of the 
officers of I? Heureuse. He had a face full 
of bonhomie , an engaging knack of seeming 
to flatter his companions while he merely 
listened to their talk, a fund of anecdote, and 
(as we know) a voice for singing that concili- 
ated all who had an ear for music. All these 
advantages he used. For the next few days 
the officers came late to bed; and Tristram 
and his companions could allay the irritation 
of their skins as they listed. Night after 
night shouts of laughter came from the com- 
modore’s room, and with the savor of deli- 
cate meats there now reached them the notes 
of a tenor voice that moved many of the most 
abandoned to tears. 


THE GALLEY “ L ’HEUBEUSE. 


275 


The end was, that the officers admitted him 
to their counsels, which may have been the 
reason that the galleys, that until now had 
taken but the shortest cruises, began to risk 
more daring expeditions, and once or twice 
adventured within a league of the English 
coast. But no occasion was found for landing 
and burning a town — which was the object 
continually debated at the officers’ board. In 
fact, the weather did not favor it, and more- 
over the whole line of coast was guarded by 
patrolling parties, ready to give warning to 
the train-bands stationed at convenient dis- 
tances ; so that the crews ran no inconsiderable 
risk of being surprised and cut to pieces if they 
landed, not to speak of having their galleys 
taken behind them by the British cruisers. 
And none knew better than M. de la Pailletine 
that the slaves, if left without sufficient guard 
to coerce them, were as likely as not to murder 
their overseers and hand their galleys over to 
the first enemy they met. 

Nothing of any consequence, therefore, was 
done for six weeks ; and at the end of that 
time Captain Salt sought out the commodore, 
and announced that he had received a letter 


276 


THE BL UE PA VILI0N8 . 


from a friend in Paris, summoning him thither 
on private business. The commodore, who had 
actually grown to like the Englishman, ex- 
pressed a polite regret. He suspected noth- 
ing. 


CHAPTER XII. 


WILLIAM OF ORANGE. 

On the third day after Captain Salt departed 
for Paris, certain events befell at The Hague 
which demand our attention. 

The campaign of 1691 in Flanders was con- 
ducted on both sides with the utmost vigor 
and the least possible result. Between May 
and September the armies marched and coun- 
ter-marched, walked up to each other and 
withdrew with every expression of defiance. 
No important action was fought, though for 
some time less than a league divided their hos- 
tility. The waste of shoe-leather was enor- 
mous, and William, whose patience was worn 
out almost sooner than the boots of his sub- 
jects, left the command in Marlborough’s 
hands and retired to his park at Loo, whence, 
in the beginning of July, he posted to The 
Hague, to attend a meeting of the States- 
General. 

On the 17th day of that month, and at ten 

277 


278 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


o’clock in the morning, — at which time the 
king was taking the air in his famous park on 
the outskirts of the town — a couple of old gen- 
tlemen were advancing upon The Hague from 
the westward, along the old Scheveningen 
road. They walked slowly, by reason of their 
years, but with a certain pertinacity of pace 
which indicated that, in their own opinion at 
least, they were bound upon an errand of im- 
portance. At intervals they paused to mop 
their faces : and at every pause they regarded 
the landscape with contempt. One of these 
old gentlemen was thin and wiry, with a jaw 
that protruded like a bulldog’s. His com- 
panion, for whose sake he corrected, every 
now and then, his long stride, was a little 
hunchback of ferocious demeanor, who looked 
out on the world from a pair of terrifying 
green eyes. In place of a wig he wore a band- 
age round his scalp. 

The reader will not need to be told the name 
of this pair of old gentlemen. After his treat- 
ment at the hands of the Earl of Marlborough’s 
soldiers, Captain Barker had been confined to 
his pavilion by nothing short of main force, 
which Dr. Beckerleg had with difficulty pre- 


WILLIAM OF ORANGE. 


279 


vailed on Captain Runacles to exert. The in- 
flammation of the patient’s wound increasing 
with his irascibility, the doctor ended by 
placing a padlock of his own on the front door 
and another on the garden gate, and promising 
the little man his liberty on the first day he 
was fit to travel. 

Captain Barker flung a monastic herbal at 
his head, whereupon the bleeding broke out 
afresh. Then he fainted. 

Ten weeks afterward, Dr. Beckerleg re- 
moved his padlocks, setting free not only the 
little captain, but also Mr. Swiggs, who 
throughout the time had kept diligent watch 
by the sick-bed. 

Narcissus went out to take a look at the gar- 
den. Ten weeks of neglect had played havoc 
with the beds. He contemplated it for some 
time and went down to the Fish and An- 
chor for a mug of beer. There he was wel- 
comed by his cronies, who had missed him 
sorely, or said so at any rate. 

Captain Barker went to pack his hand-bag. 
When Narcissus returned, he was gone. Cap- 
tain Runacles was gone also. 

“ Any orders % ” said Narcissus to Simeon. 


280 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“ Not as I know by.” 

Narcissus went back to the Fish and An- 
chor. 

The two friends entered The Hague, brisking 
up their pace and stepping gallantly abreast. 
Turning to their left, they came toward the 
center of the town, upon a fair sheet of water, 
with avenues of pleasant trees planted along its 
northern brink, and, behind those trees, a pub- 
lic road faced with shops and cabarets, each 
shaded by a colored awning. It was the break- 
fast-hour ; and beneath these awnings sat a 
crowd of soldiers of the guard, citizens and 
citizens’ wives, eating, chattering, smoking, 
clinking their glasses, and contemplating from 
their cool shelter the water that twinkled be- 
tween the trees and the throng that moved up 
and down the promenade. 

The two captains were hungry and thirsty. 
They advanced, and finding a small table un- 
occupied, ordered breakfast. 

Their appearance, and more especially the 
bandage around Captain Barker’s head, at- 
tracted some attention. More than one group 
turned to stare as the little man began in ex- 


WILLIAM OF ORANGE. 


281 


ecrable Dutch to explain his wants to the 
drawer. The fellow, too, was more than or- 
dinarily dense : and a tempestuous scene was 
plainly but a matter of a minute or so, when a 
tall ensign of the guard rose from a neighbor- 
ing table, and lifting his hat, addressed the 
Englishmen in their own language. 

“ Pardon, gentlemen, but I cannot help over- 
hearing your difficulty, and think, with your 
leave, I may remove it.” 

Captain Barker scowled for a moment and 
seemed about to take deeper umbrage. But 
the tall young man was quite unconscious of 
this and smiled down with the serenes t good 
will. 

“ Do not say no. I have been in England 
and I love all men of your country.” 

“Jack,” growled Captain Kunacles, “this 
is one of a new generation of Dutchmen. We 
are getting old, my boy.” 

The young man’s manner was so sincere that 
Captain Barker gave way with a fair grace, 
the more readily because there was something 
in the amiable face which recalled his lost 
Tristram. In less than a minute he was stat- 
ing his desires, which were promptly translated 


282 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


into fluent Dutch. The drawer ran off on his 
errand. 

“ Since you have been so kind, sir,” said the 
little hunchback politely, “perhaps you can 
do us another favor.” 

“What is that ? ” 

“We have come across from Harwich for 
the purpose of seeking an audience with his 
Majesty, King William. Can you tell us 
when and where we are likely to find him?” 

“His Majesty is just now at the House in 
the Wood.” 

“ Where may that be ? ” 

“Not two miles beyond the town. On fine 
days, such as the present, he gives audiences 
every morning, between nine o’clock and ten, 
in the open air, walking up and down an 
alley, which is called for that reason the 
Promenade of Audience ; and again, if no 
other business prevents him, at five o’clock in 
the afternoon, when the day grows cool.” He 
pulled out a stout watch and consulted it. 
“ By six o’clock I must be back there, for at 
that time my duty begins. But, if you will 
let me accompany you and pass you through 
the park-gates, I will gladly hasten my 


WILLIAM OF ORANGE. 


283 


return and start — shall we say at half-past 
four?” 

He would take no denial, but rose and left 
them, waving his hand and smiling, and turn- 
ing, after a dozen steps, to call back and 
assure them he would be punctual. 

“He has the very same eyes,” muttered 
Captain Runacles, watching him as he dis- 
appeared between the trees. 

“I remarked it, too,” assented Captain 
Barker, who understood the allusion at once. 
“ I’d no notion there was such another pair of 
eyes in the world.” 

“We’d better adopt him, Jerry,” the little 
man went on, with a wry and hopeless smile ; 
“for it’s little chance we have of finding the 
other one.” He gulped as he uttered the last 
three words, and blinked at the broad sun- 
shine beyond the awning. 

“The fact is, Jack, the doctor let you go out 
too soon.” 

“Eh?” 

“ You’re not fit to travel. You’re a totter- 
ing convalescent, and ought to be between the 
blankets at this moment.” 

“ Jerry, that’s false, and you know it.” 


284 


THE BL TIE PA VILIONB. 


“Oh, do I? Then you’d best give over 
talking nonsense, or, by the Lord ! I’ll take 
you off and put you to bed this instant. And, 
what’s more, I’ll call in a Dutch doctor.” 

Captain Barker could not deny that the rest 
beneath the awning was welcome. The road 
from Scheveningen had been hot and dusty, 
and his illness had left him weaker than even 
his comrade imagined. They sat, sipping their 
beer and gazing at the crowd, till the town 
chimes rang out and announced half past 
four. At the first note they saw their young 
friend advancing from the Buitenhof. 

“Here I am, you see. But I have taken a 
liberty, I fear, since leaving you.” 

“ Hey ? What have you been doing?” Cap- 
tain Runacles inquired. 

“ Why, sir, perceiving that your friend was 
but lately recovered of an illness, and remem- 
bering that, though the distance to the House 
in the Wood is but two miles or less, the 
distance there and back is about four, I have 
brought him a litter. Perhaps I did wrong ? ” 

He pointed to the litter which two men in 
blue blouses were bringing across the road. 

“Hot at all, sir. On the contrary, your 


WILLIAM OF ORANGE. 


285 


thoughtfulness puts me to shame,” answered 
Captain Runacles, with something like a 
blush. Captain Barker also thanked him, 
and added, “Decidedly it might be Tris- 
tram’s very self” — a remark which the young 
officer did not understand in the least. But 
he smiled happily. The mere pleasure of 
doing a kindness and finding it appreciated 
was so strong in this youth that he almost 
regretted he had not sacrificed a fortnight’s 
pay and hired a carriage with a couple of 
horses. Captain Barker climbed into the 
litter and the party set out at a leisurely pace 
which brought them to the park-gates in a 
little more than half an hour. A couple of 
sentries kept guard here, and within the lodge 
a dozen others were playing at dominoes and 
laughing like children. 

“If you will permit me,” said their conduc- 
tor, as Captain Barker alighted, “I will con- 
duct you as far as the Promenade of Audience. 
Otherwise you will have to go with one of my 
comrades, and probably with one who is igno- 
rant of English.” 

Taking their consent for granted, he marched 
them past the sentries and through the iron 


286 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


gates. A broad avenue of yews confronted 
them, with a graveled carriage drive which 
stretched away till lost amid interlacing 
boughs. A couple of gentlemen were advanc- 
ing down this avenue, in brisk conversation. 
They were about to pass our friends, when the 
elder of the pair, an old gentleman in blue, 
with a ruddy complexion and apoplectic neck, 
glanced up casually, uttered an exclamation, 
and came to a halt. 

Leaving his companion to stare, he advanced 
toward Captain Runacles and saluted him 
with punctilio. 

“ This is a great pleasure,” he observed in 
very good English. 

“ I’m very glad of that, sir,” Captain Runa- 
cles answered; “ though ’pon my life I don’t 
know why it should be.” 

“ I have been expecting you.” 

“ Indeed?” 

“Will you be good enough to withdraw 
with me behind these yews, in order that our 
conversation may not be observed from the 
lodge- windows ? ” 

“Certainly, if you wish it.” 

The whole party followed him, much puz- 


WILLIAM OF ORANGE. 


287 


zled. He led them between a couple of gi- 
gantic trees, glanced around him and asked 
suddenly : 

“The young man, I presume, gave you my 
message?” 

“Now, what in the world,” began Captain 
Runacles, with a bewildered stare. But the 
little hunchback was quicker. 

“ What young man, sir % ” he cried sharply. 
“ Do you mean Tristram Salt ? ” 

“ I really don’t know his name ; but he was 
accompanied, to be sure, by a Captain Salt, 
when I met him at Vlaardingen.” 

Captain Barker groaned. 

“But excuse me,” pursued the old gentle- 
man in blue, still addressing Captain Runa- 
cles, “ I spoke not only of a boy, but of a 
message. Did he deliver it ? ” 

“If you mean Tristram Salt, I have not 
clapped eyes on him since the 1st of May 
last.” 

“Then I will deliver it myself. You do not 
appear to know me.” 

“Not from Adam.” 

“ My name is Cornelius van Adrienssen, and 
you, Captain Runacles, once flung a boot at 
my head.” 


288 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“ Did I indeed ? It was in a moment of ex- 
treme irritation, no doubt.” 

“We were engaged off the Texel. June 
5, ’71, was the date. You were on board 
the Galloper , I on the ZelandsJioop. Mght 
parted us.” 

“ I begin to remember the incident.” 

“Then I need not proceed. Let me merely 
remark that I have kept that boot.” 

“Whatever for ? ” 

“ What for, sir ? ” cried the choleric old gen- 
tleman, now fairly hopping with rage. “ What 
for? To throw it back, sir — that’s why ! ” 

“My dear Captain van Adrienssen, is not 
this rather childish % Twenty years is a long 
time to harbor resentment.” 

“You shall fight me, sir.” 

“Tut-tut ” 

“I regret that I have not the boot with me 
to fling back at you ” 

“You have a pair on your feet, sir,” sug- 
gested the Englishman, whose temper was ris- 
ing. 

“ But this shall do instead ! ” and taking his 
glove, Captain van Adrienssen dashed it in Cap- 
tain Runacles’ face. 


WILLIAM OF ORANGE. 


289 


“ By the Lord, you shall pay for this ! ” 

“I am ready, sir.” 

They pulled off their coats, and pulled out 
their swords. 

44 Sirs, sirs ! ” cried the young ensign ; 44 re- 
member, you are in his Majesty’s park.” 

But before his sentence was out, the two 
swords were crossed, and the old gentlemen 
were attacking each other with the unreg- 
ulated ardor of a pair of schoolboys. 

44 Jerry, Jerry,” murmured Captain Barker, 
44 you never had much science, but this is fool- 
work.” 

Captain Runacles heard, straightened his 
arm, and controlled himself. He had little 
science, but an extremely tough wrist. As 
for Captain van Adrienssen, the veins of his 
neck were so swollen with passion that his 
wig curled up at the edge and stood out 
straight behind him in the absurdest 
fashion. 

44 The boot — the boot ! ” he kept exclaiming, 
stamping with each lunge. 44 Take that for 
the boot, sir ! ” He aimed a furious thrust 
in tierce at Captain Runacles’ breast. 

44 And that for the glove, sir ! ” retorted his 


290 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


adversary, parrying and running his blade on 
and through the exposed arm by the elbow. 

The arm dropped. Captain van Adrienssen 
scowled, looked round and was caught in his 
companion’s arms as he fell. 

“And now, sir, let me express my re- 
gret ” began Captain Jerry, advancing 

and stooping over him. 

“I’ll have you yet!” retorted the implac- 
able old gentleman, and with that fainted 
away. 

He awoke to find his arm bandaged and the 
little group still standing around him. 

“Peter,” he said, sitting up, “get my 
coat.” 

“But, captain, you cannot put it on,” re- 
monstrated Peter, a squarely built man, with 
eyes of a porcelain-blue. 

“ Then, how in the world do you suppose 
that I’m to get past the sentries?” 

“You’ll be carried.” 

“ And let every man of them know that this 
gentleman and I have been fighting in his Maj- 
esty’s park! Tut-tut ; you’ll have them both 
arrested in a jiffy. Give me my coat ! ” 


WILLIAM OF ORANGE. 


291 


“You cannot get your arm into it.” 

“ My worthy Peter, you’re my excellent lieu- 
tenant and a fair seaman ; but I begin to doubt 
if you’ll ever make a captain. You’ve no re- 
source. Take your knife. Now, slit down the 
inner seam of the sleeve — so. Now, lift me up 
and help me into it.” 

He stood on his legs. His face was a trifle 
pale, but he kept his jaw set firmly. 

“ Now, button the sleeve at the wrist.” 

“ Bat it still gapes above.” 

“ Of course it does. Therefore, we will 
walk arm in arm ; only you must hold me 
very gently. There, that’s it.” He nodded 
stiffly, and was moving away on Peter’s arm, 
when Captain Barker interrupted. 

“ Excuse me, Captain van Adrienssen ; but 
just outside the park gate you’ll find a litter, 
which I am happy to place at your service.” 

“Thank you, sir; but I’ll not use it.” 

“ You will,” said Peter decidedly. 

“ Why, sir, we have to start for Amsterdam 
to-night.” 

“You’ll get no further than The Hague,” 
said Peter ; “ and there you’ll be put to bed.” 

They walked slowly off, arm in arm. Draw- 


292 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


ing near the sentries, Captain van Adrienssen 
groaned. 

“ Going to faint ? ” Peter asked. 

“Not till I get outside.” 

He was as good as his word, and they went 
through the gates without exciting suspicion. 
The litter was there, and Peter beckoned to 
the men and explained the case in a whisper. 
His companion offered no opposition. Indeed, 
no sooner was he placed in the litter than he 
swooned away. 

King William was still sitting in his favorite 
avenue when the two captains approached, led 
by their friend the ensign, who was beginning 
to wish himself well out of the business. At 
his Majesty’s side paced William Bentinck, 
Earl of Portland, whom we have already met, 
in the course of this narrative, in the little inn 
at Vlaardingen. The two were alone and in 
earnest converse : but looked up as the party 
approached along the avenue. 

“H’m, it appears to me that I know these 
two shapes,” said William. 

“ They are odd enough to be remembered.” 

“That is the figure which honesty cuts in 


WILLIAM OF ORANGE. 


293 


tlie country over which I have the misfortune 
to rule — or rather, to reign. My friend, these 
are two honest Englishmen, and therefore 
worth observation. Moreover, they are about 
to give me the devil of a time. Well, gentle- 
men,” he continued, lifting his voice as they 
approached, “ what is your business ? ” 

“We desire your Majesty to listen to us.” 

“ On a matter of importance % ” 

“To us, yes. It has brought us from Eng- 
land.” 

“Speak, then.” 

“Your Majesty,” Captain Barker began, his 
voice trembling slightly, “ we have come to 
offer you, to beg that you will accept, our 
swords and our service.” 

“ That is very pretty, sir,” answered William 
after a pause, during which his eye kindled 
with some triumph ; “but unless I do you an 
injustice, Captain Barker and Captain Barn- 
acles, there is some condition attached to this 
surrender.” 

“None, sire, but that which your Majesty’s 
self imposed, less than three months back. 
We are come to redeem, if we may, the young 
man of whom you then robbed us.” 


294 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS . 


“ Robbed ! ” 

4 4 Forgive me, sire — deprived. See, your 
Majesty ; we are two old men, but active ; 
battered somewhat, but not ignorant ; worn, 
but not worn-out. We are at your service : 
take us, use us as you will. We will serve 
you faithfully, loyally, without question, until 
we die or your enemies break us. Only re- 
store our son, Tristram Salt.” 

44 Gentlemen, I will not say but that I am 
gratified by this ;” William paused, saw the 
hope spring into their eyes, and added with 
assumed coldness , — 44 only it happens that you 
come too late.” 

The light died out of their eyes. 

44 Too — late?” Captain Barker stammered, 
staring stupidly at the King. 44 Is my boy — 
dead ? ” 

The question came in a dull, sick tone that 
turned their sovereign’s heart within him. 

44 Forgive me, gentlemen : I had no right to 
play thus with your feelings. You have come 
too late only because I gave the young man 
his discharge, more than two months ago, with 
a passport to take him back to England.” 

44 But he has not arrived ! ” 


WILLIAM OF ORANGE. 


295 


u He started, at any rate; and in company 
with one who appeared to have the best right 
to take care of him — I mean his father, Captain 
Roderick Salt.” 

Captain Barker groaned. 

“ May it please yonr Majesty,” said Captain 
Jemmy, thrusting himself forward, “but 
Jtoderick Salt’s the damn’dest villain in your 
service ; and that’s saying a good deal. I 
mean no offense, of course.” 

“Of course not,” commented the Earl of 
Portland, who was hugely delighted. 

“I believe that opinion is held by some,” 
his Majesty observed, with a side glance at his 
friend. 

“Not by me,” said Portland tranquilly. 
“There are worse than Salt — whom, after all, 
your Majesty has neither enriched nor en- 
nobled.” 

William frowned. For a moment or two he 
stood, scraping the gravel gently with the side 
of his boot. At last he spoke : 

“Gentlemen, I thank you for your offer; 
and some day I may take advantage of it to 
command you, for honest men (however wrong- 
headed) and good commanders ’’—this with a 


296 


THE BL UE PA VIL10NS. 


slight bow — 44 are always scarce. For the mo- 
ment, however, I should feel that I wronged 
you by accepting ” 

44 Your Majesty is good to us. But our 
word holds.” 

44 Thank you. I had guessed that. Never- 
theless I advise you, just now, to return to 
England and wait. I have some knowledge of 
Captain Salt’s movements ; and when last your 
lad was heard of, he had parted company with 
his father and was making for the coast. I 
have some quickness in reading character : 
and there is a certain placid obstinacy in that 
young man which persuades me he will reach 
Harwich in time. Return, therefore, and wait 
with what patience you may. Moreover, Cap- 
tain Barker, I perceive that you are recovering 
from some wound.” 

“Which explains, sire, the tardiness of my 
submission. I was starting to seek an audi- 
ence on the morning that you sailed from Har- 
wich, when your soldiers ” 

4 4 My soldiers ? ” 

44 Yes, sire; but perhaps they erred from 
abundance of zeal.” 

Portland looked at the speaker shrewdly. 


WILLIAM OF ORANGE. 


29 1 


“ You know more than you tell me, my 
idend,” he said quietly. 

u Possibly, my lord: but it is nothing that 
can affect his Majesty, now.” 

“You are under some promise?” William 
asked gravely. 

“We are, sire; but be assured that if it 
touched your welfare we had never come to lay 
our service at your disposal. ” 

“I believe you, my friends. And now, 
about starting for England — I was about 
to propose that as Captain van Adrienssen’s 
frigate ’ ’ 

“ Captain van Adrienssen ! ” 

“ You know him ? He is to sail from Ams- 
terdam in the frigate Merry Maid , to escort 
a convoy of thirty-six merchantmen to the 
Thames. If you start at once you will over- 
take him.” 

“ Unfortunately, sire, Captain van Adriens- 
sen will not be able to start for many days.” 

“Hey?” 

“ He is unwell.” 

“ Unwell? Why, it is not an hour since he 
left us } ” 

“ Nevertheless ” 


298 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“Let me explain, sire,” said Captain Runa- 
cles, stepping forward again. “It happened 
thus. We met Captain Adrienssen on our 
way from The Hague.” 

“ Yes, yes.” 

“And it appeared — though I had forgotten 
it — that twenty years ago I had the imprudence 
to throw a boot at his head. It was off the 
Texel ” 

“ Have you lost your senses ? ” 

“ Listen, I beg your Majesty. The sight of 
each other revived that painful recollection. 
We pulled out our swords and fell on each 
other ; forgetting — alas ! — that now we are 
both servants of your Majesty. It is annoying, 
but before we could remember it, Captain van 
Adrienssen was wounded.” 

William’s brow was black as night. 

“ A duel % ” he said sternly. 

“ Your Majesty, it could hardly be dignified 
by that name — say rather ” 

“ What shall I do with these incorrigibles % ” 
asked the king, turning to Portland. “At 
this time, too ! When I’ve not a single other 
commander of value within call ! ” 


WILLIAM OF ORANGE. 


299 


“ If I may advise you, sire — but first will 
you command these gentlemen to retire ?” 

William dismissed them with a wave of the 
hand, and they withdrew to a little distance 
among the trees, where they waited in consid- 
erable trepidation. 

It was full half-an-hour before Portland 
came toward them, trying to hide a smile. 

“Pouf!” he said, “that was a tough busi- 
ness. Gentlemen, I have persuaded his Majesty 
to accept the offer he declined a while ago, 
and to use your services.” 

“ In what way, my lord ? ” 

“You will at once go to The Hague, and 
find out the condition of Captain van Adriens- 
sen. If, as I suspect, he be unfit to travel, 
you will with this authority take over his 
papers and post to Amsterdam, where you 
will find the Merry Maid frigate with her 
convoy. You are to escort this convoy to the 
Thames — but you will read your instructions in 
the papers which Yan Adrienssen will give 
you. You, Captain Barker, are the senior, I 
believe. Yes % I thought so ; and therefore 
you will take command, unless your friend 


300 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


declines to act, on this occasion, as your lieu- 
tenant.’ ’ 

“ My lord, how can we thank you % ” 

“By serving his Majesty,” answered Port- 
land, and added significantly, “rather than 
the Earl of Marlborough.” 

The two friends walked away, treading on 
air. But, perhaps, their friend the ensign, 
from whom they parted affectionately at the 
foot of the avenue, was happier even than they. 
For not only did his heart rejoice at their good 
fortune ; but his Majesty had failed to in- 
quire whether the duel had been fought within 
or without the park gates. 


CHAPTER XIII. 


CAPTAIN SALT EFFECTS A SURPRISE AND 
PLANS TWO MORE. 

On the sixth day after his departure, Cap- 
tain Salt returned to Dunkirk unexpectedly. 

He arrived about four in the afternoon and 
was rowed at once to the commodore’s galley. 
He climbed on deck and looked about him. 
The lieutenant stepped forward. Captain Salt 
shook hands and asked : 

‘‘Where is the commodore?” 

“In his cabin.” 

“Alone ?” 

“No ; he is holding a council of war. All 
the captains are there.” 

Captain Salt whistled softly to himself. 

“How long have they been sitting?” he 
asked. 

“Less than ten minutes.” 

“Thank you. I’ll go down and look in.” 

“ My friend,” he said to himself as he walked 
aft and descended the ladder, “the chance has 

301 


302 


THE BL TIE PA VILIONS. 


come sooner than you expected. You’ll have 
to play this game boldly.” 

He knocked at the cabin-door and entered, 
with the dust of travel thick upon him. He 
had ridden thirty-six miles since breakfast, 
along dusty roads and under a broiling sun. 
Nevertheless his manner was cool enough as 
he bowed to all present. 

“ I must apologize, gentlemen, for the state 
of my clothes ; but I heard you were sitting 
here, and could not rest until I had saluted 
you.” 

They welcomed him heartily, as he dropped 
into a vacant chair. M. de la Pailletine 
reached across the table and shook hands with 
him. 

“It is very thoughtful of you,” said the 
commodore. “We were about to draw up a 
plan of the cruises to be taken this week ; and 
shall be glad to have your advice.” 

“I’m afraid, gentlemen, I’m too weary to 
offer much advice. But that need not prevent 
my listening with attention to the wisdom of 
others.” 

There was the faintest shade of derision in 
his voice, if they had any cause for suspecting 


CAPTAIN SALT EFFECTS A SURPRISE. 303 


it. As it was, however, not a man present had 
the slightest mistrust of him. He had con- 
quered all their prejudices. 

The commodore resumed the short speech 
he had been making ; and when he had con- 
cluded one captain followed another with 
criticism and fresh proposals — Captain Bau- 
dus of Le Paon , the Chevalier de Saint Croix 
of La Merveille , Captain Denoyre of the 
Sanspareil. During their speeches Captain 
Salt sat perfectly silent, either resting his 
head on his hands and stifling his yawns, as 
though politely concealing his weariness, or 
drumming gently with his fingers on the table 
and staring up at the ceiling like one lost in 
thought. 

But, all of a sudden, as M. de la Pailletine 
was in the act of offering some remarks upon a 
scheme of Captain Denoyre’ s for a descent 
upon the Isle of Thanet, the Englishman, still 
yawning, got upon his legs and said very 
carelessly : 

“ I regret to interrupt M. le Chef <Pes cadre, 
but we waste time.” 

The commodore paused in the middle of 
his sentence, and stared. 


304 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS . 


“ Yes,” repeated Captain Salt, nodding at 
him with the coolest assurance, “we are 
really wasting time. Be so good as to lend 
me your attention while I sketch out a little 
plan that I have drawn up for a descent upon 
Harwich.” 

The officers round the board were fairly 
taken aback by this stroke of impudence. 
The commodore was the first to recover his 
presence of mind, and said, drawing himself 
up: 

“Monsieur appears not to have observed 
that I was speaking.” 

“ Pardon, sir, but I observed that you were 
speaking over-much. But let me proceed. 
Harwich, as you know, is a port at the mouth 
of the River Stour, at the extreme northeast 
corner of Essex — I give you this information, 
gentlemen, as I am not sure if any of you 
have traveled so far.” 

The captains looked at one another and the 
eldest among them, M. Baudus of Le Paon , 
stood up. 

“Monsieur will forgive the remark,” he 
said, “but it appears to me that he forgets his 
place.” 


CAPTAIN SALT EFFECTS A SURPRISE. 305 

“ Tut-tut,” answered the Englishman, with 
an air of slight impatience, “I must trouble 
you to sit down, sir, and attend. Really,” he 
continued, looking around, “I must insist 
upon the attention of everyone, as I shall 
need your intelligent co-operation. My plan 
is this. I mean to make this a night attack. 
We should leave the harbor here in four 
days’ time — that is to say on the 23d, if the 
weather holds ; and not later than six o’clock 
in the morning. It may possibly be earlier, but 
that will depend to some extent on the wind.” 

M. de la Pailletine by this time was white 
with passion. He began to comprehend that 
his guest would not dare to speak thus with- 
out some high authority to back him. 

“Are we to understand, sir, that in this 
proposed expedition we sail under your 
orders % ” 

“ Certainly.” 

“ May I ask to see some authority \ ” 

“Of course you may.” 

Captain Salt put a hand into his breast and 
drew out a folded paper. Laying this on the 
table, he let his eyes travel round with a quiet 
smile. 


306 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


It was signed in the handwriting, and sealed 
with the seal, of his Majesty King Louis. 

M. de la Pailletine picked up the paper 
with a shaking hand, and read it through. 
There was no room for opposition. The king 
commanded him, as chief of the squadron of 
galleys lying in Dunkirk, to place his ships, 
officers, and crews at Captain Salt’s disposal, 
and to follow his instructions implicitly 
throughout the expedition. Moreover, the 
Intendant was ordered to furnish whatever 
stores, artillery, etc., Captain Salt should find 
necessary to the success of his design. If he 
should require it, the fighting strength of the 
galleys should be supplemented by drafts 
from the regiments stationed in the Citadel, 
the Rice-bank, and Forts Galliard, Reve, and 
Bon Esperance. 

The commodore read all this and laid the 
paper down on the table. The officers around 
him scanned his face and saw there was no 
hope of resistance. Nevertheless, for a mo- 
ment, they looked mutinous. 

Their superior officer, however, set the ex- 
ample of graceful obedience. He stood up 
and looked the Englishman straight in the 


CAPTAIN SALT EFFECTS A SURPRISE . 307 

face. Then he spoke with a voice that trem- 
bled a little over the opening words, but after 
that proceeded smoothly and composedly 
enough : 

“ Monsieur, it is my honor to serve his 
Majesty without reservation, even when he 
chooses to put a slight upon his tried ser- 
vants. Unfold your scheme. We will listen 
and lend you our co-operation.’ ’ 

“ I thank you, monsieur. Is that all ? ” 

“No, sir; not quite all. You will permit 
me in addition to remark that you are a very 
dirty blackguard, and that, if you choose to 
resent this criticism, I am your very obedient 
servant.” 

“Ah, yes. We will discuss that, if you 
please, as soon as this business is over. 
Meanwhile let me proceed with my remarks.” 

That same evening Captain Salt assumed 
the command, and within half an hour it was 
patent to every slave in the squadron that 
something beyond the ordinary was afoot. 
The new commander began to issue orders at 
once. Curiously enough, one of the first of 
these was given to the fishing-smack with the 


308 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


green pennant, which had brought him the 
Earl of Marlborough’s letter five days before, 
and had lain at anchor ever since in the 
Basin. It was pretty well known to every 
one in Dunkirk that this little craft plied to 
and fro in the Jacobite cause, and was allowed 
to pass the forts without challenge. Indeed 
she had a special permit. Therefore nobody 
wondered when Captain Salt paid her red- 
bearded skipper a visit that evening on his 
way to the Citadel ; nor was the skipper 
astonished to receive a letter for the Earl of 
Marlborough’s secret agent at Os tend, and 
bidden to leave the harbor that night. 

Yet the red-bearded skipper would have 
been considerably astonished had he been able 
to read the cipher in which the letter was 
written, or had he the faintest idea that the 
small mark on the corner of the wrapper 
meant that it was to be translated at once and 
despatched post-haste to King William. 

For indeed the captain was now playing 
not merely a double game, but a triple, and 
perhaps a quadruple game. He was not only 
playing for William against James, and for 
James against William, but for the earl 


CAPTAIN SALT EFFECTS A SURPRISE. 309 

against both, and for himself above all. For 
the moment he wished to get to Harwich with 
power over the two old men who (as he con- 
ceived it) were defrauding him of his priv- 
ileges ; and to obtain full possession of these 
privileges, he must stand well with William, 
who at present suspected him. What better 
proof could he offer that his journey had been 
all in this master’s interest than by engaging 
the six galleys at Dunkirk in an attack upon 
Harwich and forewarning the king of his 
design % Or how could the earl have a better 
chance of clearing himself of the king’s sus- 
picions than by receiving this warning and 
passing it on to the king ? 

Unfortunately this accomplished schemer 
omitted to take account of three accidents, for 
the simple reason that he could not have antici- 
pated them : 1. The two old men whom he 
meant to terrify at Harwich were at that mo- 
ment in Holland, and 2. The son in whose 
name he meant to terrify them slept every 
night within a foot of his head, a galley-slave, 
disguised beyond recognition and filled with a 
just resentment. No. 8 will be mentioned 
hereafter. 


310 


THE BLUE PA VILLONS. 


The little fishing-smack sailed out of Dun- 
kirk that evening, an hour after sunset. 

During the next three days Captain Salt 
worked hard. Sufficient stores were laid in to 
last for a week’s cruise. The slaves who 
worked on shore were brought on board. The 
galleys’ beaks were tested, the guns examined, 
oars and rigging carefully overhauled. A 
fresh supply of ammunition was drawn from 
the Citadel, and the fighting crew of each ves- 
sel increased by fifty men, with a few Swiss 
from the batteries of Burgogne, Anguenois, 
and Santerre, all expert artillerymen. In all 
this M. de la Pailletine lent the readiest aid. 
He had postponed his animosity to the day 
when they should return to harbor ; and, to 
the casual eye, he and the Englishman were 
excellent friends. By the night of August 22, 
all was ready. 

At nine o’clock next morning the five gal- 
leys started in solemn procession past the forts 
and out into the open sea, which was smooth as 
glass. A light but steady breeze breathed 
across the sky from the northeast. They could 
have hoped for nothing better. The broad lat- 
teen sails were spread, and the slaves sat quietly 


CAPTAIN SALT EFFECTS A SURPRISE. 311 


before their oars, ready to row, though for 
hour after hour there was no need of rowing. 
The five vessels kept within easy distance of 
each other, and Captain Salt on the deck of 
L? Heureuse directed their movements with a 
serenity that cheered even the poor men on the 
benches below him. As the awning shook and 
the masts creaked gently above them, they 
stretched their limbs, drew long breaths, and 
felt that, after all, it was good to live. 

So steady did the wind keep all day that 
about five in the evening they brought the 
Nore in sight. It was the opinion of all the 
captains that they should run up for Harwich 
at once ; but the Englishman had other views. 

44 It is too early,” he told M. de la Pailletine. 
“There are cruisers about, and if we are seen 
the game will be spoiled.” 

He gave orders to lower the sails and stand 
off till nightfall. The captains, of course, 
obeyed. 

They had not lain-to when the man who had 
been sent to the masthead of L? Heureuse 
shouted out : 

44 A fleet to the north ! ” 

4 4 Whither bound ? ” called up Captain Salt. 


312 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


“ Steering west.” 

“ What number? ” 

The man was silent for a moment and then 
answered : 

“ Thirty-six sail, all merchant built, and an 
escort.” 

“ What is she like ? ” 


“A frigate of about thirty guns.” 


CHAPTER XIV. 

THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 

1. — The Frigate. 

The Merry Maid had left the Texel by the 
narrow gut called De Witt’s Deep, with her 
convoy following in line and in admirable 
order. The breeze was fair for England. A 
full round moon rose over the sandbanks be- 
hind them as Captain Barker sent the pilots 
ashore and stood easily out to sea — for the 
most of his merchant-ships were sluggish sail- 
ers and not a few overladen. So clear was 
the night that, as he paced the quarter-deck 
with the dew falling steadily around, he could 
not only count their thirty-six lanterns but 
even discern their piled canvas glimmering as 
they stole like ghosts in his wake. 

That night he left his watch for an hour only, 
when shortly before dawn Captain Runacles 
came to relieve him, threatening mutiny unless 
he retired to snatch a little slumber. But the 


313 


314 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


sun was scarce up before the little man ap- 
peared on deck again. The pride of his old 
profession was working like yeast within him. 
His breast swelled and his chin lifted, as he 
found the convoy still sailing in close order, 
obeying his signals smoothly and intelligently, 
as a trained pack obeys its huntsman. He was 
delighted with the frigate and his crew, who 
were English to a man. To be sure there was 
a fair sprinkling of Dutchmen among the sol- 
diers : but his heart had begun to warm some- 
what toward that nation. As he shambled to 
and fro, jerking out from time to time some 
necessary order, he saw that he had the respect 
of all these fellows even while they smiled at 
him. They felt that this distorted little frame- 
work held a man. He divined this with the 
quick sensibility that marks all deformed 
people. His green eyes kindled. In the pride 
of his soul he had almost forgotten Tristram. 

The sight of the English coast, dim and pur- 
ple beneath the declining sun, brought it 
back to him with a sharp pang. After all, 
Tristram was still lost, and his journey to Hol- 
land had been a failure, therefore. With a 
sudden contempt for all that a minute before 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 


315 


he had been enjoying, he turned to his friend 
and asked him to take charge for a while. 

Nothing more was said ; but Captain Runa- 
cles guessed what drove the little man below 
like a wounded beast ; and began to pace the 
deck gloomily. 

“ He’ll never take it up again,” he muttered ; 
“it’s all very well, and he thinks he’s getting 
comfort out of it, But it won’t do.” 

He paused for a moment, contemplated the 
distant coast, and resumed his tread, repeat- 
ing: 

“It won’t do, Jack : it won’t do a bit, my 
boy.” 

Captain Barker sat in his cabin, alone and 
staring at a knot of wood on the table before 
him. There were traces of tears on his cheeks. 

Somebody tapped at the door. 

“What is it?” 

“The devil,” answered Captain Runacles’ 
voice coolly. “ Six galleys to the south, be- 
tween us and the Thames.” 

Captain Barker sprang up and hurried 
upon deck. 

“So that’s the craft I’ve heard so much 
about,” he remarked, taking down the glass 


316 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


through which he had been eying them for a 
couple of minutes. 

“ What do you propose, Jack ? ” 

“Propose? Why, propose to do what I’m 
here for — to save the convoy.” 

‘ ‘ That’ s very pretty. But do you know how 
fast those sharks can move ? ” 

“No, I don’t. But I know they can out- 
pace us. Nevertheless I’ll save the con- 
voy.” 

“How?” 

“ There’s only one way.” 

“ And that is ” 

“By losing the frigate.” 

Captain Runacles looked at him for a second 
and then placed a hand on his shoulder. This 
simple gesture expressed all his heart. Cap- 
tain Barker turned briskly. 

“Signal the convoy,” he commanded, “to 
make all sail and run for the Thames.” 

II — The Galleys. 

M. de la Pailletine was in some respects 
a weak man. He was impatient. Up to this 
moment his behavior in an extremely galling 
position had been perfect. He had been con- 
tent to bide his time and had furthered every 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 317 

order issued by bis rival with the cheerfulest 
alacrity. 

But when the man at the masthead an- 
nounced the advance of the merchant-fleet he 
allowed himself to be tempted, and turned to 
Captain Salt, who stood beside him. 

“ You will follow them, of course.” 

“Of course I shall do nothing of the sort. 
On the contrary, I intend to steer to the south, 
out of their sight.” 

“ You will fling away this splendid prize ? ” 

“ Let me remind you, monsieur, that we are 
bound for Harwich.” 

“ But this is folly, Captain Salt. Harwich 
will remain where it is, and we can ravage it 
at any time. Never again may we have so 
fair an opportunity of capturing thirty-six 
merchantmen and a British frigate almost 
without a blow.” 

“Excuse me, M. de la Pailletine, but I do 
not allow my orders to be criticised.” 

“Then listen to me, sir,” retorted the com- 
modore, his face red with fury, as he drew 
from the coat the order which the king had 
addressed to him, “ you see this paper? Very 
well: I destroy it.” He tore it to shreds 


318 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


and let the pieces flutter over the galley’s 
side. 

“Are you aware of what that action 
means ? ” Captain Salt was white to the lips. 

“ I am, sir.” 

“It is treason.” 

“You think so, perhaps. But a French- 
man should best know what is due to the king 
of France. Nevertheless I shall summon the 
captains to confirm my action. Will you 
attend them in my cabin % ” 

“Thank you ; no, sir. I am quite sure that 
they will support you. It remains to see what 
his Majesty will say when I report your con- 
tempt of his orders.” 

“That is for the future to decide. Mean- 
time be good enough to recollect that I com- 
mand the squadron from this moment. Should 
you choose to volunteer, well and good. If 
not, my cabin is at your disposal as soon as 
the captains have left it.” 

He bowed and turned away to summon the 
captains. 

They came in haste and were, of course, 
unanimous : though it is difficult to say how 
far they were influenced by sound argument 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 


19 


and how far by pique and a desire to thwart the 
Englishman. While they sat, Captain Salt 
remained on deck, cursing quietly, and ex- 
amining the approaching enemy with no 
pleasant stare. 

Orders were issued to all the six galleys to 
attack the fleet. Four were told ofl against 
the merchantmen and commanded to make all 
speed to get between them and the Thames ; 
while U Heureuse herself and La Mervertle , 
commanded by the Chevalier de Saint Croix, 
were to attack and take possession of the fri- 
gate. 

Immediately they began to make all possi- 
ble haste with sails and oars. Captain Salt 
withdrew to the cabin in dudgeon, and M. de 
la Pailletine took his place. From their 
benches below the slaves heard his voice shout- 
ing out orders right and left, and at once they 
had to catch up their oars and row. The 
English fleet, when first espied, was coming 
right across their course, and still held on its 
way when it perceived the Frenchman’s intent. 

In pursuance of this intent the four galleys 
made off with all speed to place themselves 
between the merchantmen and the coast, while 


320 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


the commodore and the Chevalier de Saint 
Croix bore down on the frigate, straight as an 
arrow. 

And now began a hard time for Tristram 
and his companions below. They lugged and 
sweated, and presently U Heureuse began to 
leap through the water. Above the swish of 
the long sweeps rose a tumult of oaths, impre- 
cations, outcries, sobs, as the overseers plied 
their whips blindly, not caring where they 
struck. Overhead they heard the guns running 
out, the rolling of shot, and trampling of feet, 
the shouts and replies of officers and men. 
They could see nothing of the frigate for 
which they were bound, but, from the confu- 
sion and hurry, expected every moment to feel 
the shock as the galley’s beak drove into her. 

Then for a second or two all the noise 
ceased. 

The reason was this: for some little while 
the frigate held on her course for the mouth 
of the Thames. Not a sail more did she carry 
than when she first came in sight. It almost 
seemed as if her captain had not seen the 
enemy flying to destroy him. For thirty-five 
minutes she held quietly on beside her convoy. 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 


321 


And then the helm was shifted, and she came 
down straight into the Frenchman’s teeth. 

It was a gallant stroke, and a subtle— so sub- 
tle that M. de la Pailletine, as he saw it, gave 
a great shout of joy. He fancied he saw the 
English delivered into his hands. But his 
rejoicing was premature. To begin with, he 
perceived, the next moment, that the frigate, 
by hastening the attack, had caught his galley 
alone. Into this trap he had been led partly 
by the excellence of his crew. Hot only was his 
the fleetest vessel of the six but he had always 
been jealous to choose the strongest formats to 
man it. Possibly, too, M. de Saint Croix had 
started later, choosing to let his superior offi- 
cer have the honor of striking the first blow. 
At any rate, La Merxeille was by this time a 
league or more behind her consort. 

Still the commodore was in no way disturbed. 
He admitted to his lieutenant beside him that 
the frigate was showing desperate gallantry ; 
but he never doubted for a moment that his 
galley alone, with two hundred fighting men 
aboard, would be more than a match for 
her. 

Down came the Merry Maid , closer and 


322 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


closer, her red-crossed flag fluttering bravely 
at the peak ; and on rushed the galley, until 
the two were within cannon shot. 

M. de la Pailletine gave the order and sent a 
shot to meet her from one of the four guns in 
the prow. As the thunder of it died away 
and the smoke cleared, he waited for the 
Englishman’s reply. There was none. The 
frigate held on her course, silent as death. 

III. — The Frigate. 

The two English captains stood on the quar- 
ter deck, side by side, the tall man and 
the dwarf. Beyond issuing an order or 
two, neither had spoken a word for twenty 
minutes. Once Captain Barker glanced over 
his shoulder to see how the merchantmen 
were faring, and calculated that within half 
an hour their enemies would intercept them. 
Then he looked down on his men who stood 
ready by their guns, motionless, with lips set, 
repressing the fury of battle ; and beyond 
them to the galley, as she came, churning the 
sea, her oars rising and falling like the strong 
wings of a bird. 

u My God!” he said softly, “if only Tris- 
tram were here to see!” 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 


323 


IV. — The Galleys. 

When the frigate failed to answer his salute, 
M. de la Pailletine jumped to a fresh conclu- 
sion. 

“ Mon Dieu /” he cried, “ here is another 
English captain who, like our friend Salt, is 
weary of carrying his sovereign’s colors ! He 
doesn’t mean to strike a blow. A minute, and 
we shall see his flag hauled down.” 

But the minute passed, and another, and 
yet a third, and the English flag still flew. 

By this time they were within musket-shot. 
One by one the four guns had spoken from 
the galley’s prow, and still there was no 
answer. On the brink of the tragedy there 
was silence for an instant. Then a few of 
the French musketeers seemed to find this 
intolerable, and fired without receiving the 
order. Followed a silence again ; and still 
the Merry Maid came on, as if to impale her- 
self on the galley’s beak. 

And then, suddenly, when in three minutes 
the vessels must have collided, round flew the 
frigate’s wheel. For a minute and a half she 
fetched up, as if awaking to the consequences 
of her folly ; shuddered and shook against the 


324 


TEE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


wind; and, as her sails filled again, fetched 
away on the westerly tack for her life. 

For a full two minutes the French were 
taken aback. 

“Fools, fools!” shouted M. de la Paille- 
tine, beside himself with joy. 

The order flew for the slaves on the larboard 
benches to hold water for a minute, and the 
galley’s head came round. Nothing gives 
more spirit than a flying enemy. From mouth 
to mouth ran the whisper that the English 
were showing their heels, and in a moment 
these poor devils, who owed all their misery 
to France, were pulling like madmen. Jeers 
rose from the deck. 

“ If monsieur the Englishman does not 
strike within two minutes, down he goes to the 
bottom.” 

“ The idiot ! to expose his stern ! ” 

u On the whole, it is just as well that 
La Merveille is so far behind. We shall 
have all the glory to ourselves, eh, my 
children?” 

On board the frigate, Captain Barker said 
four words only : 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE . 


325 


“ Take tlie wheel, Jemmy.” 

Captain Runacles stepped to it, and the 
steersman gave place. 

In truth the hunchback, though this was 
his first acquaintance with a galley, knew 
well enough that she would strike for the 
frigate’s stern, as the weakest point. This was 
precisely what he wished her to do. 

Captain Runacles stood with his hands on 
the wheel, and waited, glancing back over his 
shoulder. 

Captain Barker stood by the taffrail with 
one eye upon the galley and his face turned in 
profile to his friend. His right hand was 
lifted. 

The commodore had made all his disposi- 
tions. The galley was to plunge her beak 
straight into the Merry Maid's stern, and its 
crew, after one discharge of cannon to clear 
the frigate’s poop, were to board at once. 
The men stood ready with their hatchets and 
cutlasses, and set up a wild yell as they drove 
straight for her. From below, the slaves 
echoed it with a melancholy wail. 

On they tore. As they yelled again I? Heu- 


326 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


reuse's beak was but twenty yards from her 
prey. A few more leaps and it would strike. 
One— two 

The little man looked back in their faces and 
smiled. 

Three — four — five 

He dropped his hand. Quick as lightning, 
Captain Jerry spun the wheel round. The 
stern swung sharply off. 

The next moment the galley flew past. Her 
beak, missing the stern, rushed on, tearing 
great splinters out of the Merry Maid' s flank. 
Her starboard oars snapped like matchwood, 
hurling the slaves backward on their benches 
and killing a dozen on the spot. Then she 
brought up, helplessly disabled, right under 
the frigate’s side. 

And then at length the English cheer rang 
forth. In an instant the grappling-irons were 
out and the frigate held her foe, clasped, caught, 
strained close against her ribs. 

And at length, too, with a blinding flash and 
roar, the English guns spoke. A minute had 
done it all. Sixty seconds before, the gallant 
vessel had lain apparently at the Frenchman’s 
mercy. Now the Frenchman was fastened in- 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 327 

extricably, while the crowd upon deck stood as 
much exposed as if the galley were a raft. 

Down swept the grapeshot, tearing ghastly 
passages through them. They were near enough 
to be scorched by the flame of it. Down and 
across it rent them, as they crouched and fought 
with each other to get away and hide. There 
was no hiding. Before the breath of it they 
went down in lines, strewing the deck hor- 
ribly, mangled, riddled, blown in miserable 
pieces. 

In a trice, too, the English masts and rigging 
were swarming with musketeers and sailors, 
who poured hand-grenades among them like 
hail, scattering wounds and death. The 
Frenchmen no longer thought of attacking. 
Such was the panic among officers, as well as 
common men, that they were incapable even 
of resistance. Scores who were neither killed 
nor wounded, lay flat on their faces, contem- 
plating death, and hoping to find safety. 

The carnage lasted, perhaps, near five min- 
utes. 12 Heureuse > s consort was still near upon 
a league behind, and the other four galleys were 
still busily chasing the merchantmen. Captain 
Barker looked and was well content. But he 


328 


THE BL UE PA VI LION 8. 


had much work still before him, and to do it 
properly he must husband his ammunition. 

He gave the order to board. Forty or fifty men 
dropped over the Merry Maid? s side, cutlass 
in mouth, and rushed along the galley’s deck, 
hewing down all who ventured to oppose them 
and sparing only the slaves, who made no resis- 
tance. At last, and merely by the weight of 
numbers, they were driven back. But this 
did the Frenchmen no good. Instantly the 
frigate opened fire again and murdered them 
by scores. 

It was in this extremity that M. de la Paille- 
tine cast his eyes around and found himself 
forced to do what Captain Barker from the 
first had meant him to do. The four galleys 
that had started after the convoy were by this 
time sweeping along the full tide of success. 
In another five minutes the pathway to the 
Thames would be blocked and all the merchant 
vessels at their mercy. 

M. de la Pailletine hoisted the flag of dis- 
tress. He called them to his help. 

A wild hurrah broke out from the crew of 
the frigate. The order meant their destruc- 
tion ; for how could the Merry Maid contend 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 


329 


against six galleys ? Yet they cheered ; for 
they had guessed what their captain had in 
his mind. And the little man’s greenish eyes 
sparkled as he heard. 

“Good boys!” he said briefly, turning to 
his friend. “The convoy is saved, my lad ; 
and oh ! but, Jerry, you did it prettily ! ” 

V. — The Galley. (In the hold.) 

Let us go back, for a minute or two, to 
Tristram. 

The oar at which he tugged was one of the 
starboard tier ; and when U Heureuse missed 
her stroke, as we have told, it went like a 
sugar stick, flinging him and his companions 
back across the bench. Further than this 
they could not fly, because the stout chains 
which fastened them were but ten feet long. 

Tristram indeed was hurled scarcely as far 
as the rest, for his seat was the inmost from 
the gangway, and right against the galley’s 
side ; so that he got the shortest swing of the 
oar. 

They scrambled up just as the fire of grape- 
shot opened. And then Tristram made an ap- 
palling discovery. 

The hole through which their oar was 


330 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


worked had been split wider by the crash ; 
and now, looking out, he saw that it lay just 
opposite the mouth of an English cannon. In 
this position they had been brought up by the 
frigate’s grappling-irons. 

It took him but an instant to see also that 
the cannon, as it stared him in the face, was 
loaded. 

The two vessels, moreover, lay so close that 
by reaching up with his hand he could have 
laid his hand on the muzzle. 

It was a horrible moment. There were four 
Frenchmen and a Turk ranged along the bench 
beside him. He looked into their faces. They 
were ashen-gray to the lips. No one could 
move to get out of the way ; the chains pre- 
vented that. The Huguenot was praying 
wildly. Only the Turk preserved his com- 
posure ; and even he had turned pale under his 
bronzed skin. 

Somebody cried : “ Lie flat ! ” 

In a second everyone of Tristram’s compan- 
ions had flung himself flat on the bench. 

Tristram glanced again at the gun. Even 
at that moment he had enough presence of 
mind to note that it was pointed downward 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 


331 


and at such an angle that those who lay flat 
must infallibly receive all its contents. He 
noted this even while it seemed that everyone 
of his faculties was frozen up. He felt that he 
could move neither hand nor foot ; and some- 
how he knew that since, because of the chain, 
he could not leave the bench, he must sit up- 
right. And so he stiffened his back, laid his 
hands on his lap, and waited, with his eyes on 
the gun. 

Through the port-hole he could see the Eng- 
lish gunner. He saw the fuse in his hand. He 
counted the seconds ; wondered, even, how 
the fellow could be so deliberate. He heard 
the explosions all around and speculated. 
Would the next be his turn ? Or the next 1 
Would it be painful ? What was the next 
world like ? And would his body be badly 
mangled ? 

The gunner had the match ready, when the 
lad’s lips moved and a cry broke from them — 
a cry which astonished him as he uttered it, 
for he had no notion that his brain was busy 
with such matters. 

“ Oh, my Father, have pity on my poor 
soul ! I have loved all men and one woman. 


332 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


Give comfort to her, and have mercy on my 
poor soul !” 

As [the last word dropped from his lips a 
great calm fell upon him, and his eyes rested 
quietly on the gunner’s hand as the man set 
the lighted match to the touchhole of the 
gun. 

It was night when Tristram opened his eyes 
again. A pale ray of moonlight slanted across 
his face. His head was pillowed on something 
soft and warm. He lay for a while and stared 
at the moonlight ; and by degrees he made out 
that it was pouring through a rent in the gal- 
ley’s side. Then he turned his head and lifted 
himself a little to see what it was on which his 
head rested. It was the dead body of one of 
the overseers, who had been killed almost by 
the first shot fired by the frigate. 

He pulled himself up and crept toward the 
bench, then put a hand down to his feet. The 
ring was there but no chain. Next he felt 
along the bench, with a wish — quite stupid — to 
get back to his seat. His comrades were still 
lying on their faces. He imagined for a mo- 
ment that their foolish fears still held them 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 


333 


there : and he laughed feebly. He was weak : 
but felt no pain from any wound, nor suspected 
that he was hurt. 

Then he began to eye the fellows roguishly, 
taking a malicious pleasure in the continuance 
of their terror. He tittered again ; and sud- 
denly found himself out of patience with 
them. 

“ Come, get up — get up ! The danger’s all 
over long ago.” 

He received no answer and put out his hand 
toward the nearest. It was the Turk — a fellow 
who had been a janissary and had the reputa- 
tion of not knowing what fear was. 

“Hullo, Ysouf! Get up, for shame — get 
up, man ! And you — that we called so 
brave ! ” 

Ysouf lay still. Tristram bent forward and 
took his hand. 

The hand came away from the body. It 
was icy cold. 

Still holding it, Tristram leant back and 
stared ; and as he stared a pettish anger took 
him. He tossed the hand back on the body. 
And now for the first time he began to hear : 
and as this lost sense crept back to him, he 


334 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS . 


knew that the place was full of moaning and 
that over his head feet were trampling to and 
fro. The noise caused him agony and he put 
his two hands to his ears. 

He was sitting in this posture when he felt 
something warm and moist trickle down his 
body, which was naked to the waist. He took 
a hand from his ear and put it to his breast. 
It was all wet : but in the darkness nothing 
could be distinguished. Suspecting, however, 
that it must be blood from some wound, and 
following the smear with his fingers, he 
found that his shoulder, near the clavicle, 
was pierced right through. There was no 
pain. 

Then he began to feel himself all over, and 
found another gash in the left leg, below the 
knee. He searched no more, feeling that it 
was useless, as he was bound to die in a little 
while. The men before and behind him were 
dead. Of eighteen men on the three benches 
he — who had been blown the full length of the 
coursier — was the only one left ; and all owing 
to the explosion of one cannon only. But 
such was the manner of grapesliot : after the 
cartouche of powder, a long tin box of musket 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 335 

balls rammed in ; and, as the box breaks, de- 
struction right and left. 

As he sat, waiting listlessly for death, the 
sense of pain came suddenly upon Tristram : 
and then he swooned away. 

VI. — The Frigate. 

As soon as the galleys saw M. de la Paille- 
tine’ s signal and turned reluctantly back from 
their chase, the capture of the Merry Maid be- 
came but a question of time. 

The Merveille was the first to come up, and 
striking fairly at her stern, riddled her win- 
dows with a gust of artillery and prepared to 
board : a feat that was twice prevented by 
Captain Runacles and a couple of dozen 
marines, English and Dutch. Then followed 
Captain Denoyre with the Sanspareil , who ap- 
proached from the starboard side and lost both 
his masts as he did so. In fact the execution 
done upon his galley was only second to that 
suffered by F Heureuse. But as Le Paon fol- 
lowed from the same quarter, with the 
Nymphe and the Belle Julie heading down as 
fast as oars could take them, Captain Barker 
cast a look back and touched his old friend’s 


arm. 


336 


THE BL UE PA VIL10NS. 


The first of the merchantmen was entering 
the Thames. 

“ Better get back to the fo’c’sle, Jerry, and 
intrench yourself.” 

Captain Runacles nodded. “And you?” 
he asked. 

“ Oh, I’m going down to the cabin — first of 
all.” 

Captain Runacles nodded again. They 
looked straight into each other’s eyes, shook 
hands, and parted. 

It was obvious that the men of the Merry 
Maid could no longer keep the deck. She 
was hemmed in on every side and it only re- 
mained to board her. 

Twenty-five grenadiers from each galley 
were ordered upon this service. Those of the 
Merveille were the first to start, and they 
swarmed over the stern without opposition. 
But no sooner were they crowded upon the 
frigate’s deck than a volley of musketry 
mowed them down. Captain Runacles and 
his heroes then ran back and intrenched them- 
selves in the forecastle ; and to advance too 
close to the hatchway was certain death. Nor 
were they forced to surrender until long after 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 337 

the English flag was hauled down ; and, in- 
deed, were only silenced when M. de la Paille- 
tine hit on the happy idea of setting fifty men 
to work with axes to lay open the frigate’s 
deck. A score and a half of men were lost 
over this piece of work. However, the fore- 
castle was carried at last by means of it ; and 
the prisoners were brought on deck — among 
them Captain Runacles, with his right hand 
disabled. 

“ Are you the gallant captain of this frig- 
ate?” asked M. de la Pailletine, doffing his 
hat ; for as yet he had received no sword in 
token of the Merry Maid's surrender. 

“No, sir,” Captain Runacles answered ; “I 
have the honor to be his lieutenant.” 

“ He is killed, perhaps ? ” 

“I fancy not.” 

“ Then where is he ? ” 

“ Excuse me, monsieur, it strikes me he has 
yet to be taken.” 

“ But the ship is ours ! ” 

“ Well, monsieur, you have hauled down our 
colors, and I can’t deny it. But as for the 
frigate— I doubt if you can call it yours just 
yet.” 


338 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


“ What do you mean, sir ? ” 

“ Why, simply that you have not yet taken 
Captain Barker ; and excuse me if, knowing 
Captain Barker better than you can possibly 
do, I warn you that that part of the ship 
which he sees fit to occupy at this moment 
will probably be dangerous for some time to 
come.” 

As if to corroborate his words, at this mo- 
ment the hush which had fallen upon the frig- 
ate’s deck was broken by the report of a fire- 
arm, and two French grenadiers rushed upon 
deck from below and came forward hurriedly, 
one with a hand clapped to a wound in his 
shoulder. 

“ That,” said Captain Bunacles, “ is proba- 
bly Captain Barker. There is a shutter to his 
cabin-door.” 

“But this is trivial,” said the French com- 
modore, frowning. 

“ If monsieur will excuse me, it is scarcely 
so trivial as it looks. Captain Barker is 
within ten paces of the powder-magazine. 
Moreover, between him and the powder-maga- 
zine there is a door.” 

M. de la Pailletine jumped in his shoes. He 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 


339 


rushed aft to the companion leading to the 
captain’s cabin, and called on him to surrender. 

“ Go away ! ” answered a very ill-tempered 
voice from below. 

“But, sir, consider. Your ship is in our 
hands.” 

“Then come and take it.” 

“ your gallant officers have surrendered. 

You have behaved like a hero, and there is not 
one of your enemies but honors you. Mon- 
sieur, it is magnificent — but come out.” 

“ I shan’t.” 

“ Monsieur, even this noble obstinacy ex- 
torts my veneration ; but permit me to inquire, 
how can you help it ?” 

“ Yery simply, sir. Time is of no concern 
to me. I have plenty of victuals down here ; 
and if any man comes to take my sword, I 
shall kill him.” 

“ You cannot kill five or six hundred men.” 

“No. When I am bored, I shall fire the 
powder-magazine.” 

“ Monsieur ” 

There was no answer but the sound of a man 
blowing his nose violently and the ring of a 
ramrod as it was thrust home. It was absurd 


340 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


that one man should hold a ship against hun- 
dreds. Nevertheless it was the case, and the 
commodore did not see his way out of it. 

“ Permit me, sir,” said Captain Runacles, 
stepping forward, “to add my assurance, if 
such be needed, that Captain Barker is a man 
of his word.” 

The commodore essayed gentler tactics. 

“Listen, monsieur ” he called down. 

“ Go away ! ” 

“ I have the pleasure to announce to you 
that you shall meet only with such treatment 
as your bravery deserves. Dismiss all appre- 
hension of imprisonment ” 

At this point he skipped backward with 
such violence as to knock a couple of sailors 
sprawling. A bullet had embedded itself in 
the timbers at his feet. 

He determined to use summary measures ; 
and ordered twelve grenadiers with fixed bay- 
onets, to advance to the cabin door, break it 
open and overpower the Englishman. 

The twelve men advanced as they were bid- 
den. The sergeant was half-way down the lad- 
der, with his detachment at his heels, when 
the report of a musket was heard; down he 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE . 341 

dropped, with a ball in liis leg. The grena- 
diers hesitated. Another shot followed. It 
was pretty clear that the besieged man had 
plenty of firearms loaded and ready. They 
scrambled np the steps again. “It was all 
very well,’ 5 they said ; but as they could 
only advance in single file, exposing their legs 
before they could use their arms, the English- 
man from behind his barricade could shoot 
them down like sheep. 

M. de la Pailletine stamped and swore, up- 
braiding them for their cowardice. He was 
about to order them down again when a diver- 
sion occurred. 

A door slammed below, a wheezing cough 
was heard ; and Captain Barker’s head ap- 
peared at the top of the ladder. 

“ Which of you’s the French captain \ ” 

M. de la Pailletine lifted his hat. 

“H’mph!” 

He stepped up on deck, and the French offi- 
cers drew back in sheer amazement. They 
looked at this man who had defied them for 
pretty near an hour. They had expected to 
see a giant. Instead, they saw a tiny man, 
humpbacked, wry-necked, pale of face, with 


342 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


a twisted smile and glaring green eyes that 
surveyed them with a malicious smile. His 
wig was off and his bandaged scalp, as well as 
his face, was smeared black with powder ; and 
it appeared that he could not even walk like 
other men ; for he moved across the deck with 
a gait that was something between a trot and a 
shamble, and indescribably ludicrous. 

Yet all this abated his dignity no whit. He 
trotted straight up to M. de la Pailletine 
(whose astonishment mastered his manners for 
the moment, so that he stared and drew back), 
and working his jaw, as a man who has to 
swallow a bitter pill which sticks in his mouth, 
he held out his sword without ceremony. 

44 Here you are,” he said. “I’ve done with 
it ; can’t waste words.” 

4 4 Sir,” the commodore answered, bowing, 
44 believe me, I receive it with little gratifica- 
tion. The victory is ours, no doubt ; but the 
honor of it you have wrested from us. Sir, I 
am a Frenchman ; but I am a sailor too, and 
my heart swells over such a feat as yours. 
Suffer me, then, to remind you that your 
present captivity is but the fortune of war, 
against which you have struggled heroically : 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 


343 


that your self-sacrifice has saved your fleet ; 
and that as France knows how to appreciate 
gallantry in her adversaries, your bondage 
shall be merely nominal.” 

“H’mph,” said the little man : “fine talk, 
sir — fine talk. As for the ships, I saw the 
last of ’em slip into the Thames, ten minutes 
since, from my cabin-window. Sorry to keep 
you parleying so long : but couldn’t come out 
before.” 

He blew his nose violently, cocked his head 
on one side, and added : 

“Though, to be sure, sir, your words are 
devilish kind ; ’pon my soul.” 

M. de la Pailletine, with a pleasant smile, 
held out the sword to him : 

“Take it back, monsieur — take back a 
weapon no man better deserves to wear. For- 
get that you are my prisoner ; and, if I may 
beg it, remember rather that you are my 
friend.” 

The face of the little hunchback flushed 
crimson. He hesitated, took back the sword 
clumsily, and hesitated again ; then swiftly 
held out his hand to M. de la Pailletine, with 
a smile as beautiful as his body was deformed : 


344 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“ Sir, you have beaten me. I fought your 
men for awhile, but I can’t stand up against 
this.” 

VII. — The Galley. 

There was one man, however, who soon had 
reason to repent that the little man had been 
given his sword again. 

Dark had fallen when M. de la Pailletine 
conducted him courteously over the frigate’s 
side and across the deck of If Heureuse 
toward his own cabin. Flinging the door 
open, he bowed, motioning Captain Barker to 
precede him. 

As the hunchback entered a figure rose from 
beside the table under the swinging lamp. It 
was Roderick Salt, who had been sitting there 
and sulking since the engagement began. 

Captain Barker jumped back a foot and 
stared. 

“ You!” 

Captain Salt had been expecting the com- 
modore, and was waiting to pay him a dozen 
satirical compliments on the issue of the 
engagement. Triumph shone in his eyes. It 
went out like a candle-flame before a puff of 
wind. 


TEE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE . 


345 


“You/” 

In a flash the hunchback was running on 
him with drawn sword. M. de la Pailletine in 
a trice, interposing, knocked the blade up and 
out of his hand. But he rushed on, and deal- 
ing the traitor a sound blow on the face with 
his fist, began to kick and cuff and pummel 
him without mercy. 

“ Take him off — take him off!” gasped 
Captain Salt, but offered not the least resist- 
ance. The commodore, amused and secretly 
pleased, caught the little man in his arms and 
dragged him away by main force. 

“Messieurs,” he said, stepping between 
them, and still panting with the effort, “cir- 
cumstances compel me to leave you together 
for a while. But, before I go, I must expect a 
parole from each of you that you will keep the 
peace toward each other. 

“But, monsieur,” Captain Barker ex- 
claimed, “ I want to kill him ! ” 

“ Doubtless ; but if, sir, you have that con- 
sideration for me which you professed by 
shaking hands with me just now, you will 
refrain. Captain Salt will tell you, sir, that 
we have a small affair to discuss together, as 


546 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


soon as we reach France again. When that 
discussion is over, no doubt he will be at your 
service.’ ’ 

The pair gave their promise reluctantly, 
and, as the commodore left the cabin, sat 
down, facing each other across the table — Cap- 
tain Salt with his back to the shattered stern- 
windows, which, a week or two before, Tris- 
tram had touched up with fresh paint and 
such honest enthusiasm. 

They knew nothing of this. Yet the first 
question asked by Captain Barker after he 
had glared at his enemy in silence for twenty 

minutes, was 

“ Where is Tristram ? ” 

“ Tristram ? ” 

“ Ay ; your son. You have seen him, and 
have been with him.” 

“ I do not know. I iost him.’ 

“When? Where?” 

“Two months since. We were traveling 

south together ” 

“What right had you ” 

“Excuse me, I was about to put a similar 
question. To begin with, you do not deny, I 
suppose, that the lad is my son ? ” He paused 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 34 1 

a second or two and listened, for a sudden 
shout had gone up from the galley’s deck 
above them. He continued, “ Secondly, the 
boy is heir to considerable estates ; thirdly, 
he has been so for many years ; fourthly, I am 
legally an administrator of those estates ; 
fifthly, you knew that I was alive — what the 
devil is that noise?” 

“ Never mind the noise. Proceed with your 
remarks.” 

“I have simply to say that you, Captain 
Barker, together with your friend Runacles, 
have for years been playing off a fraud on the 
law ; and that I am going to exact my right to 
the last farthing.” 

“ Really you must excuse me ; but do you — 
a traitor, on board a French ship — imagine 
that you possess any rights in England ? ” 

There was certainly a loud trampling of feet 
on the galley’s deck at this moment. But Cap- 
tain Barker knew that the French would make 
haste to clear their dead at once and get into 
motion with their prize ; for the merchantmen 
must, before this, have given the alarm, and 
the coast was continually patrolled by British 
cruisers. 


348 


THE BLUE PA VILIONS. 


“ You have a very imperfect knowledge of 
my position, Captain Barker ; and it naturally 
leads you to jump to very wrong conclusions. 
To begin with, you imagine me a traitor.” 

“Ido” 

“To whom? To King William, I sup- 
pose?” 

“Well, as William is the king whose law 
seems most likely to interfere with your pres- 
ent threats, I will instance King William.” 

“You are mistaken. Until you came into 
sight, this squadron was advancing on Harwich 
under my command. You understand ? Well, 
before it started I had sent word to William of 
its intention. In other words, from first to last 
I designed the whole expedition in his inter- 
ests. Had we gone on, by this time half a dozen 
British frigates would have been upon us ” 

“ My God! And they are here!” 

As Captain Barker yelled it out, a broad 
flame illumined the cabin, and a crash of 
broken glass and rending timbers mingled 
with a roar that shook the sea for miles. And 
in the light of this thunderous broadside, Cap- 
tain Salt rose slowly, lifted his arms, swayed, 
and dropped forward, striking the table with 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 


349 


his brow ; then slid down upon the floor, stone 
dead. 

VIII.— The Galley. (In the hold.) 

From his second swoon Tristram awoke to 
find the light of a lantern flashing in his face. 

The Merry Maids flag had scarcely been 
hauled down before night fell; and almost with 
its falling, while the men of the other galleys 
were helping to clear E Heureuse' s decks, 
they perceived lights twinkling off the mouth 
of the Thames. 

At once concluding that these were the lights 
of English men-of-war sent to pursue them, 
they used the utmost dispatch. Their first 
course was to throw the dead overboard and 
stow the wounded in the hold. But so closely 
were they pressed by the fear of losing their 
prize and being made prisoners that it is to be 
feared as many of the living were thrown over 
for dead as of those who were dead in reality. 

This, at any rate, came near to being Tris- 
tram’s fate. For, when the keeper came to 
unchain the killed and wounded of his seat, 
he was still without consciousness, lying 
among the corpses, bathed in their blood and 
his own. 


350 


THE BLUE PAVILIONS . 


“A clean sweep of this bench,” said the 
keeper. 

He and his fellows, therefore, without 
further examination, did but unchain the 
slaves and then fling them over. It was suffi- 
cient that the body neither spoke nor cried. 
Tristram’s comrades, it is true, were in no 
doubtful plight. The hand of death had 
impressed them beyond chance of mistake. 
They were thrown over limb by limb. 

Tristram’s was the only body that remained 
entire ; and to all appearance he, too, was 
dead. How he had been chained by the left 
leg, in which (as we have said) he was severely 
wounded. The keeper not knowing that the 
chain had been blown away, grasped this leg 
in his hand, felt for the ring, and tried to 
wrench it open. 

Fortunately he tugged so lustily and in- 
flicted so sharp a pain in the wounded limb 
that Tristram opened his eyes and sobbed 
with anguish of it. The fellow let go his 
grasp. 

Then suddenly perceiving what their inten- 
tion had been, the poor youth screamed out at 
the top of his voice : 


THE GALLEYS AND THE Fill GATE. 


351 


“Please do not throw me over. I’m not 
dead yet ! ” 

Upon this they carried him to a small cham- 
ber in the hold, and threw him down among 
a heap of groaning wounded, upon a cable 
made up into a rouleau , perhaps the hardest 
bed upon which a sick man can lie. About 
him were stretched indiscriminately petty 
officers, sailors, soldiers, and slaves. The air 
could reach this den only through a scuttle 
about two feet square, and the heat and 
stench were therefore something intolerable. 
A surgeon was at work among the sufferers. 
Reaching Tristram at length, he stopped the 
bleeding of his wounds with a little spirits of 
wine. He had no bandages ; nor did he come 
again to see if his patient were dead or 
alive. 

But indeed our hero was past caring for 
this ; and when he regained consciousness 
after a third swoon, it was to find himself in 
other hands. 

For the pursuing English, aided by the 
wind (which had shifted a little further to the 
northward) had swept down upon the galleys 
and taken them with their prize, and were 


352 


THE BL UE PA VIL10NS. 


now towing them triumphantly into Sheer- 
ness. 

IX. — At Sheerness. 

At two o’clock next morning, after a prodig- 
ious breakfast at Sheerness, Captain Barker 
and Captain Runacles (whose wounded arm 
was slung in a silk handkerchief) strolled 
down to the waterside, to have a look at the 
strange vessels they had so obstinately defied. 
They explored with especial care the unfor- 
tunate U Heureuse, visiting first the commo- 
dore’s cabin, upon the boards of which the 
blood of Roderick Salt was hardly dried. It 
cannot be said that they felt much sorrow for 
his fate ; for to pity a traitor was a height to 
which the faith of this pair of imperfect Chris- 
tians did not soar. But they uttered no word 
of exultation, and quickly resumed their ex- 
amination of the deck and hold, discussing 
this or that rent, debating over every splinter, 
proving that such and such a groove was 
plowed by a ball from such and such an 
angle, and so on. 

From the deck they descended to the long 
chamber where now row upon row of battered 
and deserted benches told of a tragedy more 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 


353 


pitiful than any that can befall men who are 
free to stand up and fight for their lives. 

“ Merciful Heaven!” exclaimed the little 
hunchback, standing with his arms folded and 
gloomily conjuring up the scene of yesterday ; 
“ Jemmy, we must have mown the poor brutes 
down like swathes of meadow grass. See 
here.” 

He bent to examine a bench along which a 
broadening groove ran from end to end, telling 
a frightful tale. 

But Captain Bunacles did not answer. He 
was standing by a battered hole in the galley’s 
starboard side and looking down at the floor. 
A sunbeam fell through the hole and slanted 
along the planks of the flooring. His eyes 
were following this sunbeam, and his face was 
like a ghost’s. 

“Jemmy, come and look — here’s a whole 
benchful accounted for at one swoop.” 

Still Jemmy did not reply. The sunbeam, 
drifting between the benches before him, fell 
on a little patch of earth — a patch collected 
by one of the slaves whose comrades, humor- 
ing his whim, had brought him a handful or 
two in their pockets whenever they returp^d 


354 


TEE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


from shore. Upon this patch of earth were 
sunk the prints of a pair of feet, far apart ; 
and between these footprints glimmered two 
lines of green, with a third uniting them. 

There were two lines of pepper-cress, un- 
harmed and fresh as if they grew in some 
sheltered garden, open only to the sun and 
rain. And as Captain Jemmy looked, the 
three green lines resolved themselves into two 
words, thus bracketed : 



“ Jemmy — Jemmy, confound you ! Do you 
hear? 

“Yes, yes,” Captain Kunacles turned sud- 
denly, and took his friend by the arm. “ Yes, 
I see — very curious. Now let’s go ! ” 

“You’re in a great hurry.” 

“ Yes. I want to go up and have a look at 
the wounded in the hospital.” 

“Why, wliat’s taken you? We haven’t 
looked at this animal’s beak yet, and that’s 
the most important of all.” 

“Very w r ell, come along and examine it 
while I run up to the hospital. Come” — he 


THE GALLEYS AND THE FRIGATE. 


355 


took the little man’s arm — “I won’t be gone 
ten minutes.” 

“Now, why on earth you’ve taken this 
fancy — ’ ’ began Captain Barker, as he regained 
the deck. And then he put his hands behind 
him and stared ; for Captain Jemmy was 
already hurrying away for his life. 

It was fifteen minutes before he returned, 
and the little man was hanging over the bows, 
with half his body over the bulwarks and his 
head twisted to get a better view of the for- 
midable beak. 

“Jack!” 

“ Oh, you’re back ! I say, just lean over 
here ” 

“Jack,” Captain Runacles caught him by 
the coat-tails and tore him back ; “ now listen; 
you’re not to speak, you’re not to ask ques- 
tions, you’re not to open your mouth. You’re 
just to come, that’s all.” 

He took the little man and hurried him 
ashore. He was breathless, but he ran Cap- 
tain Barker over the gangplank like a charg- 
ing bull. 

“ One moment, Jemmy— Jemmy ! Damme, 
I will ask ” 


356 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


“ Ask away then — and wait for the answer.” 

And so it happened that Tristram, stretched 
in the hospital at Sheerness, with his head to 
the wall and thirty wounded men on each side 
of him, heard in his painless doze a sharp cry 
and then a voice that seemed to call to him 
across miles of empty space. 

“ Oh, my dear God ! Tristram, my son, my 
son ! ” 

He opened his eyes feebly, smiled, and whis- 
pering one word, “Dad!” sank back into a 
dreamless slumber. 


CHAPTER XV. 


BACK AT THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 

Four weeks afterward, Tristram was put 
into a boat and taken up to London, whence, 
after two days’ rest, he was removed by easy 
stages back to Harwich. 

At the gate of Captain Barker’s pavilion he 
passed into the care of Dr. Beckerleg, who 
put him to bed at once and dared him to get 
up. As he was borne up the garden-path, 
Sophia peeped through a chink of the little 
blue door, and got not another glimpse of her 
lover for another six weeks. 

It was a soft and sunny morning in October 
when Dr. Beckerleg, having given his patient 
leave to dress and set foot outside the door for 
the first time, stepped down into the garden to 
seek the two captains and send them upstairs 
to help the invalid. 

As he opened the front door a searching 
odor caused him to pause in the porch and 

357 


358 


THE BL TJE PA VILIONS. 


sniff. He traced this odor round to the back 
of the house and there found Captain Barker, 
Captain Runacles, and Narcissus Swiggs. Be- 
tween them they had managed to clear the 
garden of an enormous crop of weeds, of 
which they were now making a bonfire. Be- 
hind the thick and yellowish coils of smoke, 
Dr. Beckerleg could just discern the forms of 
the two captains. By their gestures they 
seemed to be engaged in an acrimonious dis- 
cussion. Narcissus, little heeding, stolidly 
poked the bonfire with a charred stake. 

“ I will not,” said Captain Runacles. 

“But I say that you shall,” said Captain 
Barker. 

“The lad is yours and yours only.” 

“ He is yours also.” 

“ By a cast of dice you won him.” 

“By law he was given to you.” 

“You have brought him up.” 

“You found him again when I lost him.” 

“Yes, by means of an art which you taught 
him.” 

“ Gentlemen, gentlemen,” interposed the 
doctor, advancing, “what is all this fuss?” 

“Why,” began Captain Barker, “I was 


BACK AT THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


359 


proposing that, for the future, we should take 
equal shares in the superintendence of Tris- 
tram’s education ; and he won’t listen to it.” 

“ Certainly I won’t,” Captain Runacles as- 
serted stoutly. 

The doctor looked from one to the other 
with a good-humored smile. 

“ And why won’t you ?” he asked, address- 
ing Captain Jemmy. 

“Why won’t I ? Because, as you are aware, 
for you were present, we once cast the dice 
over this boy, and Jack won.” 

“Did he?” 

“You know he did ! He flung two sixes. 
Bless my heart, doctor, you must remember 
that ! ” 

“I do, perfectly. And you, what did you 
throw ? ’ ’ 

“ I— well— I ” 

“You threw the dice, and the box with ’em, 
out at the window ; that’s what you did.” 

“ Yery well, then. That settles it. I don’t 
back out of my luck.” 

“Gentlemen,” said Dr. Beckerleg, clearing 
his throat, “ I have something to tell you. It 
is a fact and I don’t pretend to explain it. 


360 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS. 


You know tlie proverb about doctors and 
their unbelief. Well, if I had been inclined, 
and I am not, to deny the controlling wisdom 
in this scheme of things, I should have been 
startled somewhat when Captain Barker flung 
those two sixes. That apparent chance should 
give an approval so decided to Captain Bar- 
ker’s adoption of this orphan child was, to say 
the least, remarkable. For I thought then, and 
now I am sure, that no better father could be 
found for the babe.” 

‘ 4 That’s what I say,” Captain Runacles 
put in. 

“Do not interrupt me, please. Isay no 
better father could be found. I did not say 
that none could be found as good. My dear 
Runacles, you tossed the dice out of window 
and flounced off in a huff. As they had been 
borrowed, and without their owner’s consent, 
I thought fit to step across the street and pick 
them up. They were lying, not a yard apart, 
in the gutter. You were wrong, captain, in 
not giving them a look.” 

“Why?” 

“ Simply, because, as they lay, the sixes 
were uppermost.” 


BACK AT THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


361 


The two captains stared at him. 

“ I give you my word,” he said quietly. 

“ My dear Jack ■” 

“ That settles it, Jemmy.” 

They took each other’s hand. 

“But excuse me,” said Dr. Beckerleg, 
“this is not what I came to tell you. Just 
now I have given Tristram leave to stroll out 
into the garden for an hour, and he is waiting 
for you to dress him.” 

But here the doctor made a mistake, for 
when they went upstairs there was no sign of 
Tristram. He and his clothes had disap- 
peared. 

They ran down to the front door and looked 
around. There was no sign of him. Finally, 
Dr. Beckerleg advanced to the little blue door 
in the hedge, opened it, and poked his head 
into Captain Runacles’ garden. Then he 
turned softly and, putting a finger to his lip, 
beckoned to the others. They advanced on 
tiptoe and peeped through. 

Beside a garden-bed, half a dozen yards 
away and with their backs to the door, knelt 
Sophia and Tristram. The youth’s left arm 
was around the girl’s waist and the youth’s 


362 


THE BL UE PA VILIONS . 


hair mingled with the girl’s as, unconscious of 
observation, they bent over the mold in which 
Sophia, years before, had buried her doll, and 
now Tristram was helping Sophia to sprinkle 
it with pepper-cress seed, holding her right 
hand as she traced this : 



The watchers withdrew as softly as they 
had advanced. But on his way back to the 
bonfire Captain Barker darted into the house 
and emerged again with an armful of green 
volumes. 

“What’s the meaning of this?” asked Dr. 
Beckerleg. 

The little man trotted round and shot his 
burden right on top of the pile which Nar- 
cissus had by this time stirred into a 
blaze. 

“There doesn’t seem to be any further use 
for ’em,” he explained, panting and running 
back to the house. 

He fetched another armful, and then an- 
other ; and, as he discharged the last upon the 


BACK AT THE BLUE PAVILIONS. 


363 


bonfire, turned and laid a hand on Captain 
Runacles’ arm. 

“ Jemmy, old friend, we needn’t to have 
made such a fuss about it after all.” 




















































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